Evansville Not-So-Subtly Reminds Public to Transport Dogs Safely

The Evansville Police Department shared a series of photos of an accident that recently occurred on Blackmore Road, and while they don’t say what the official cause of the accident was, they do list four pieces of safety information that suggests a dog had something to do with it.

“Accident on Blackmore” wrote the Evansville PD, followed by:

1. The safest way to transport a dog is in the back seat, secured with properly fitted harness or a carrier.
2. Dogs in the front seat can distract the driver increasing the risk of accidents.
3. Un-restrained dogs can become projectiles hitting other passengers or the dash.
4. Traumatized dogs can become aggressive making it difficult for first responders, and they may try to escape the vehicle and run out in front of traffic and be hit or cause other traffic to veer and cause other accidents.

According to the Wyoming Department of Transportation, distracted driving accounts for 6.5% of all crashes, including 9.2% of critical crashes, 10.3% of serious crashes, and 5.7% of damage crashes.

The most common distractions coming from inside the car include passengers, pets, objects, food, and vehicle devices. Cell phones were most notable, accounting for about 24% of all distracted driving crashes (and we think this number might even be higher, but it’s hard to determine).

One of the activities involving both a cell phone and pet is when drivers attempt to take pictures of their furry friends while behind the wheel.

Other pitfalls include trying to keep a dog out of the driver’s seat — causing you to take your hand off the wheel. Some allow their dogs to sit on their lap while driving, which could inhibit their ability to see the road at times.

Feeding dogs treats or playing with them while driving is never a good idea.

Here is a list of actionable steps to prevent your dog from increasing the likelihood of a car accident when they are riding along.

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