Riding with Rover

Keeping your dog and yourself safe in the car

Who doesn’t love taking their fur babies out for a road trip or the dog park? You’ve thought ahead and packed what your pet will need to have a good time and be safe: a leash, water, water bowl, and maybe a ball or two. But are you also keeping your dog safe in the car?

Here's How to Drive Safely With Your Dog

Keep their head inside the vehicle. Everyone has seen dogs riding with their heads out the window, with an ecstatic grin and the wind blowing in their fur. So, who’d want to be a kill-joy and keep their dog’s head inside the car? If you love your pooch, you do. Airborne items, such as insects, leaves, and stirred-up road debris can hit your dog in the face at the same velocity at which your car is moving. That’s a easy way for your dog to lose an eye or otherwise be injured.

Keep them out of the front seat. Most dogs love to ride shotgun. But as 29% of drivers admit, they’ve been distracted by their pets. Even if they’re not in the front seat, the issue of pets distracting or obstructing the driver from safe operation of the vehicle is serious. The following states have some form of law related to driving with your pet: Alabama; Arizona; Connecticut; Hawaii; Iowa; Maine; Massachusetts; Mississippi; Ohio; Oklahoma; South Carolina; Tennessee; Texas; Utah; Vermont; Virginia; Washington; Washington, D.C.; and Wisconsin. Follow the laws in your state to avoid getting a ticket or citation.

Keep them safely restrained. Much like a child’s car seat, a restraint harness or travel crate can keep your dog safely contained in the event of a sudden stop or an accident. It’s a simple matter of physics: in a collision that happens at 30 miles an hour, a Labrador-sized (~75 lbs.) dog hurled through the air will impact whatever it hits – which could be you or a passenger – with approximately 3,000 pounds of force. That’s more than enough to cause a fatality to the dog and any humans in the dog’s path.

Keep the rear passenger seat foot well covered. It’s very easy for a dog to slide into the foot well and break or dislocate their back or legs if you stop abruptly. Fill the foot wells with a soft, dense material, or purchase a rear seat cover that attaches to the front seat and covers the foot wells.

Insurance Implications

If your dog has been a contributing factor to a car accident, and you are cited for violating a pet transportation law, your insurance policy may not cover you. You’d potentially be required to pay the other driver for damage to his or her vehicle, medical treatment, and possibly more.

It's our our responsibility to keep our dogs safe while we're behind the wheel. It’s also your responsibility as a driver reduce distractions that could endanger your passengers and other motorists. Your dog’s a good boy – make sure you’re a good driver. The bottom line? Driver carefully when you have Fido in the car.

Take the Risk Coach™ Approach

A 2022 survey found that 96% of survey respondents misunderstood at least one important feature of their auto coverage. More than half misunderstood several. We want better than that for our clients. When you work with our Risk Coaches, you’ll work with a licensed insurance professional who’ll help you get the right coverage at the best price.

Call or use Chat to Contact a Risk Coach

Use the chat feature on this page, or call us for a no-cost, no-obligation-to-buy, coverage needs assessment. Our Risk Coaches are glad to help Wabtec employees navigate the complex world of homeowners insurance coverage. Call us at 866.394.4995 Monday through Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET.

Product, service, program, credit, and discount availability and limits vary by state. The information provided on this site is provided for informational purposes only and is not a full explanation of products, services, or coverage. For more information, please contact Electric Insurance Company at 800.227.2757. If there are discrepancies between the information on this site and the policy, the terms in the policy apply.
 

Electric Insurance Company Risk Coaches help you assess your current coverages and exposure to risk based on the information you provide during your discussion. The services provided are for informational purposes only and do not create a professional or fiduciary relationship. Incomplete information or a change in your circumstances after your meeting may affect coverage requirements or recommendations.