About 70% of American households have pets, but while we love our non-human friends, they can pose dangers. In the home and outside, animals can bite others or can even cause allergic reactions. They can be an especial danger to children, who may not know the best way to act around dogs and cats. On the road, pets can cause serious crashes and injuries.
Pets can be a danger in a few ways:
- Distraction. The biggest danger of dogs, cats, and other animals in the car is that they’re a distraction for you. If your cat or dog starts to make noise, gets sick, tries to get out of the window, or starts scratching or biting something in the car, your instinct is to check that everything is OK. This takes your mind off driving and can take your eyes off the road. If you’re struggling to restrain your pet, your hands may be off the wheel. Even if the distraction only lasts a fraction of a second, that’s enough time to cause a serious or even deadly crash.
- Physical impediment. Pets can also be a physical obstacle to driving safely. They can climb on your head or your arms, affecting your visibility or mobility. They can scratch your face, affecting your visibility, or block your rear window by sleeping above the rear seats. Smaller animals can get under your feet or even the gas and brake pedals, affecting your ability to steer. This can cause you to lose control of the car and cause a collision.
- Running into the road. If you keep your furry friend outside, it’s important to keep them on your property. Dogs and cats that run into the road can cause a crash as cars swerve to get out of the way. Your friend can be injured or killed by a car. They can even bite someone if they’re scared or hurt, and this can lead to a claim against you.
Keeping safe is simple. Don’t take your pet with you on the road unless you need to. If your pet is in the car, keep them in a kennel in the back seat. Even if your dog or cat is well-behaved, they can become upset by road conditions, and can become a danger. Keeping your pet in a kennel that is properly secured is also safer for your furry friend. If you are in a car accident, your dog, cat, or other friend can be thrown around. In a kennel, they are more restrained and may be able to avoid some injuries.
Everyone thinks their dog, cat, or other pet is well-behaved. Some drivers and pet owners don’t take due care in keeping their non-human friends safe and restrained during a car ride. If this type of recklessness causes an accident that results in injuries to you, you may have a claim.
To find out more, call Flaxman Law Group at 866-352-9626 or contact us online to schedule a free accident consultation. Our team can explain your options and can review how much your claim may be worth, so you’re armed with information about what you can do next.