While we all like spending time with our pets, they can become a safety risk when in the car. Pets can become distractions when driving with them, and of course distracted driving is pretty unsafe. That’s why pet safety is important for any pet-having driver to know. This knowledge will help you keep both yourself and your pet safe when on the road…
Pet Safety: How To Drive With Them
Keep them restrained
It can feel a bit mean to restrain you pet while in the car. However, an unrestrained pet is both a risk for you, and at much more of a risk themselves. Unrestrained pets can get in the way of your driving, causing an accident. Plus, these unrestrained pets can end up either being injured by air bags, or flung from the car in an accident.
Therefore, a large part of pet safety is keeping them secure. There are some options here for how you can do this. For example, you can buy special pet seat belts which will keep them secured in the seats. You can also get a pet carrier for them. However, always make sure they ride in the back, as the front seats are too dangerous even with restraints.
Feed them beforehand
Another important part of pet safety is making sure they’re ready for the trip. Pets can get carsick just like us. Of course, it’s pretty distracting if someone gets carsick and potentially throws up out the window. Pets. however, will probably end up throwing up in your car, creating a pretty big distraction.
It helps to make sure that you feed your pet before your trip begins. Feeding them about 3 to 4 hours beforehand helps to do the trick. You’ll also want to bring extra food and water for them just in case. Make sure to let them out as well when you stop, so they can do things like go to the bathroom.
Don’t leave them in the car
You’d think that people would know not to leave their pets in locked cars. However, as seen by people who still do it, it’s an important part of pet safety that gets overlooked. Cars can heat up very quickly, especially in the summer. This can quickly become fatal if your pet is left alone for a long period of time. Therefore, if you can’t bring your pet inside with you, it’s best to leave them at home instead.