pets in car accidents

Published on: February 3, 2022

Distraction Major Factor in Single Vehicle Accidents

A majority of all car accidents involving a single vehicle are linked to distracted driving. According to data by the Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, as many as 68 percent of single vehicle collisions involve people who were concentrating on something else rather than driving at the time.

The data came from a fact sheet which considered different types of distraction that could impact a driver’s concentration and impede his ability to drive a car safely. This distraction included manual, cognitive, and visual distractions. Manual distractions include those involved in holding or reaching for an object like a cell phone while driving, eating or drinking, changing climate controls or radio stations, fiddling with GPS systems, handling pets or doing other activities that cause the driver to move his head from the steering wheel even for a few seconds. Cognitive distractions included daydreaming, thinking of other things like work while driving as well as loud noises or sudden movements that could impede a driver’s focus on driving. Visual distractions include distractions from billboards, looking at phone displays or looking at anything else inside or outside the vehicle leading to the driver taking his eyes off the road even for a few seconds.

You do not need to spend an entire minute looking at something else or having your attention diverted from the task of driving to be involved in a distracted driving accident. Even a few seconds of distraction can be sufficient to cause an accident. In fact, previous studies by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute have found that a car can travel the length of a football field in just, four seconds which is less than the average time taken to open and read a text message.

Published on: October 6, 2020

FMCSA Denies Pet Exemptions for Truck Drivers

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

The federal administration has denied a petition by a business group for extension of the hours of service and electronic logging rules that apply to truck drivers travelling with their pets.

The group, Small Business Transportation Coalition, had submitted a petition to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. In the petition, the group requested exemptions for truck drivers from two of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s mandates, including the mandate for electronic logging devices on all trucks as well as the Hours of Service requirements.

According to the petition, drivers travelling with pets should be exempted from the Hours of Service requirements and be permitted to drive for up to 13 hours during their shift. That would be beyond the current truck driving limits imposed by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. According to the petition, truck drivers benefit from travelling with their pet companions, as this helps relieve boredom and loneliness during long journeys. Longer driving hours would actually help these drivers drive slower, because of the various activities like feeding and walking that they would have to perform in connection with the care of their pets. According to the petition, these drivers would, therefore, need more than the normal hours in order to complete their shifts.

Published on: September 9, 2011

Dogs at Issue in Car Accidents due to Distracted Driving

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

A new study by AAA and Kurgo has reported that 52 percent of drivers admit to “petting their canine companions instead of paying attention to the road,” and another 17 percent allow their pets to sit in their laps while driving – this according to an article published on www.insideline.com. Kurgo, a pet travel company, polled 1,000 dog owners who had traveled with their pets in the past 12 months.While the study did not evaluate the number which were involved in an auto accident, the risk factor of petting a dog while driving is clear. Auto accidents result in serious personal injuries and any conduct that may cause a rise in the number of accidents should be avoided.

Car accident attorneys in Georgia know this doesn’t bode well for drivers with furry friends. Looking away from the road for a mere two seconds doubles a driver’s risk of being involved in a car crash. Think about those two seconds. Now, picture how many seconds it takes you to pet your pooch and watch that level of risk increase significantly.

The problem, researchers summarized, could probably be rectified if more owners seriously considered restraining their pooches. Interestingly enough, many of those polled admitted that they knew operating a vehicle with an unharnessed animal was risky business, yet chose to engage in it anyway. 83 percent of drivers agreed that an unrestrained pet is dangerous, but only 16 percent reported restraining their pet.

Published on: April 21, 2011

Driving with a Pet Creates Distraction

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

More and more Atlantans are thinking twice before texting while driving, thanks to a new Georgia law that bans text messaging at the wheel.However, Atlanta auto accident lawyers know for a fact that many Atlantans think nothing of driving with an unrestrained or unsecured pet in the car.

According to a new survey conducted by the American Automobile Association, four out of every five dog owners drive with their pet in the car.One in three of these admit that the pet is a major distraction.Only 17% of the dog owners in the survey use restraints or dog barriers while driving.Pets can be a huge distraction while driving, and considering that we are a country of dog lovers, it is surprising that there hasn’t been a more intense spotlight on securing dogs while driving.

A CBS report has more information for dog owners who would like to secure their dogs safely in their cars, but don’t know where to look.There are plenty of safety devices out there, from safety barriers, to dog safety seatbelts and dog booster seats.Seatbelts are ideal for large-size dogs, while booster seats are better for small-sized dogs.Besides, there are hammocks and dog personal restraint systems that can help secure your dog, and prevent him from falling when you apply the brakes.Securing a dog with seatbelts will prevent him from jumping out the window, always a concern for anyone driving with a dog in the car.