Car Travel With Dogs-Distracted Driving
Car travel with dogs can be fun. Molina Law Firm is dog friendly. But, can dogs contribute to distracted driving and car accidents? If a dog is loose in the car, who is responsible?
I recently read about a politician who was hunting and traveling with her dog. Her dog escaped from her truck and killed some farm animals. It is not known how the dog escaped, but it appears that the politician did not properly secure her dog inside her truck. The politician later decided to shoot her dog because of this incident. Ouch! This story is instructive for many reasons. One lesson to glean from this story is that dog owners should secure their dogs when traveling. Another, and more important, lesson is that dog owners should not shoot their dogs for something that the owner failed to do.
Nonetheless, most people have been in a vehicle with a loose dog. Also, you have likely seen a dog on a driver’s lap. Either way, we like traveling with dogs. To travel safely in a car with dogs, you should take the following precautions.
Tips on Car Travel With Dogs
Tips #1-Do Not Shoot Your Dog-Properly Secure Your Dog
Dog owners are responsible for properly securing their dogs. If a dog is not secured at all in the car, then this is a danger to everyone in the moving vehicle and other drivers on the road. To properly secure your dog, you should get a properly sized crate and properly secure the crate in the vehicle. Above all, if you do not secure your dog and your dog does attack someone, do not shoot your dog for something that you failed to do–See Above.
Tip #2-Prepare Your Car For Dog Travel
Your local pet store will have many of the necessary car accessories for your dog’s travel. Short trips within the city may not necessitate investing in car seats and floor covers, but these items will be helpful on long trips. These items will help keep your car clean and protect your car’s interior from tears. These items will also keep your dog safe and comfortable.
Tip #3-Pack Dog Food and Water
If you have car travel with dogs, you should always stop to feed your dog. Do not feed your dog inside your moving vehicle. Feeding your dog inside your moving car will be a major distraction for the driver and cause stress for your dog. Also, this event will likely cause a big mess to clean inside your car. It is far easier to stop the car to feed your dog. Also, bring your water or use bottled water so that your dog does not get an upset stomach during the trip.
Tip #4-Pack Your Dog’s Important Documents
For long trips, emergencies frequently happen. Dogs get sick or get injured. Your dog’s health records will be important in these situations. A hard copy is not necessary, but you should have access to these records on your cloud storage.
Also, be sure that you have proper identification documents. Again, dog emergencies happen. if your dog gets lost, proper tags and collars will be helpful.
Tip #5–Pack Your Dog’s Travel Items
Some of the items to include are food, toys, medications, and bowls. Also, pack cleaning supplies and bags for those stops when your dog has to “go”.
Tip #6-Do Not Leave Your Dog Alone In Your Car
Houston summers are brutally hot and relentless. It is simply not safe to leave your dog alone in a hot parked car.
Tip #7-Plan Stops
Your dog likely get stressed from a long car ride. Plan regular breaks so that your dog can eat, walk, stretch, and use the bathroom. Your dog will be less stressed if you take regular stops.
How Molina Law Can Help
Insurance companies have teams of people who begin an accident investigation the moment an accident happens. If you are involved in an accident, you should have someone who looks out for your interests. Rick Molina and Molina Law Firm will fight for eveything that you are entitled to.
If you or a loved one has suffered a personal injury and need guidance, contact the Molina Law Firm at (281) 922-4300 for more information or to schedule a car accident consultation.
