New Law to Stop Drivers from Having Dogs on Their Laps

Drivers can be distracted in a variety of ways: by eating, cell phones, music and even their dogs. Legislators in the state of Rhode Island are working to ensure that dogs cannot distract drivers by making it illegal for pets to ride on the laps of their owners. The bill is sponsored by Rep. P.G.P. who submitted the documents after speaking with a concerned constituent. She claimed to have seen another driver with a dog sitting in the front seat. This not only endangers the dog but also distracts the driver, making him a potential danger to others on the road, the representative claims. The bill has since been sent to the House Judiciary Committee for consideration.

In order to help prove his point, the Representative used a survey released by AAA in 2010. It showed that 21% of respondents had allowed their dogs to sit in their laps while driving. They were also distracted by feeding the dogs or playing with their dogs while driving. The survey went on to say that a restrained dog is safer for both the animal and the driver in the event of an accident.