Pet Seat Belt Law Passes Cali Assembly

May 6, 2008

SACRAMENTO, Calif. –- A proposed law aimed at banning motorists from keeping pets on their laps while driving passed the Assembly Monday.

The legislation, which now needs Senate approval to become law, is sponsored by Assemblyman Bill Maze (R-Visalia). He says he introduced the bill after seeing a woman driving with three dogs on her lap. Maze says pets are a distraction that puts drivers and passengers – humans and animals, at risk.

Traffic in Modesto came to a stop April 25 when a car collided with a power pole, an incident blamed on the driver's cat travelling on the driver's lap. The unrestrained cat apparently scratched the driver, causing her to drive into the pole.

The bill passed the Assembly by a 44-11 vote. It prohibits drivers from "holding a live animal in his or her arms, or upon his or her lap." The legislation covers dogs, cats, birds and rodents.

No California statistics are available on how many accidents are caused by pet distractions, but the American Automobile Association recently released a study ranking pets among the most frequent in-car distractions.

Pets and loose objects were found to be more distracting to drivers than cell phones, eating or drinking. California's legislation doesn't specify how pets should be restrained, but Bark BuckleUp is a group pushing for nationwide seatbelt law for pets.

Group founder Christina Selter says the chief reason for pet restraint in vehicles is that pets can become projectiles. Even in a low-speed accident at 30 mph, a 60-pound dog can cause an impact of about 1,200 pounds.

Pet Pulse also recently reported on an accident involving an Oregon man whose Chihuahua, named Taco, was lodged under his brake pedal, causing the driver, Scott Calderon, to crash through barricades. Calderon's minivan went through a chain-linked fence and a guardrail, sending it flying off a local highway and into a ravine.

Both Calderon and Taco walked away from the accident after rescue workers spent two hours freeing them from the river embankment.

Tell us what you think about "Pet Seat Belt Law Passes Cali Assembly" below. Share your favorite videos by clicking on the ZootooTV tab. Send us your story ideas by e-mailing us at news@zootoo.com or by calling us at 877-777-4204.