BLOG: Driving against the paw

Are you aware of the legal implications for traveling with your pet?

For those of you that are pet lovers, you could now be at risk of being slapped with a heavy fine as a result of letting your beloved 4 legged friends, whatever they may be, sitting alongside you when you're driving.

Driving with animals roaming loose in your vehicle is now seen as a major distraction for legal authorities. Especially if your animal is unrestrained, they can cause serious accidents, emergency stops and near misses on the road.

A study found that one in ten drivers has had an accident while traveling in the car with a pet or know someone who has. Alarmingly, it is estimated that almost two-thirds of UK motorists are unaware that driving with an unrestrained pet can attract a fine of up to £5,000 for careless driving. Additionally, being caught with an unrestrained pet in the car can invalidate your insurance, and its estimated that over half of motorists are unaware of this penalisation.

Special caution needs to be given to issue at this time of year as schools break up for the October half term. Families around the country will be looking to get away for a mini vacation, and its almost a sure guarantee you'll be bringing along your furry friend to enjoy the trip with you if you have one.

Main culprits:

Dogs are without a  doubt the most popular animal to ride lovingly alongside their owners, but there are other creatures which are begging for attention; here are some figures about which animals UK drivers let accompany them while driving:

·        Dogs: 70%

·        Cats: 37%

·        Rabbits 8%

·        Hamsters: 6%

·        Fish: 6%

·        Birds/Parrots: 6%

·        Guinea Pigs: 4%

·        Snakes: 1%

·        Lizards: 1%

·        Spiders: 1%

Main issues

In terms of what animals actually do to distract drivers, studies found some very common results which you can look out for to avoid the issue in the future.

The most common issue that motorists face with their animals is a leap of faith out of the car window when the car becomes stationary at the traffic lights. Almost just as common is animals jumping to the front of the car after being placed in the back seat, disrupting the drivers driving operation.

By letting pets ride shotgun or hang their heads out of the window, millions of drivers are unwittingly breaking the law and leaving themselves open to a fine, points and invalidated insurance, as well as distracting other drivers traveling near you.

Another problem some drivers reported facing is letting their pets settle into the driving footwells near their pedals – a serious problem when you put your foot on the accelerator and accidentally stamp down on your cats tail...

Legal statements

Rule 57 of the Highway Code states: "When in a vehicle make sure dogs or other animals are suitably restrained so they cannot distract you while you are driving or injure you, or themselves, if you stop quickly. A seat belt harness, pet carrier, dog cage or dog guard are ways of restraining animals in cars."

Importantly, while disobeying the Highway Code doesn't carry a direct penalty, drivers could be pulled over by police and fined up to £1,000 for driving without proper control if their pet distracts them.

It could be stepped up to failing to drive with due care and attention (careless driving) which carries nine penalty points. In extreme cases, the incident could also result in a driving ban and a compulsory re-test. If you're in an accident, an insurer is likely to refuse to pay out, too, leaving you with a sizeable damage repair bill for the crash.

Tips for driving with your pet:

·        Don't feed your pet within two hours of starting a long car journey to avoid carsickness

·        Pack a favourite toy or blanket to give your pet a sense of familiarity

·        Use sun shades on the windows when it is hot or the sun is bright and never leave a pet in a hot car

·        Always carry a large water bottle (5 litres minimum) in case your pet overheats and needs to be rapidly cooled in an emergency

·        Don't allow your pet to ride with its head hanging out of the window, as it's potentially dangerous and can cause injury