Drivers risk £5,000 fines for mistake when taking dog in their car
Kara Gammell, Pet Insurance Expert at MoneySuperMarket has urged road users to take the risks seriously.
Drivers face £5,000 fines for making a simple error when travelling with their dogs. Kara Gammell, Pet Insurance Expert at MoneySuperMarket has urged road users to take the risks seriously.
Kara said: “Under Rule 57 of the Highway Code, dogs must be suitably restrained when travelling in a vehicle. While there isn’t a specific fine for not doing so, drivers can still face penalties such as ‘driving without due care and attention’ or ‘careless driving’, which may result in fines or points on your licence.
“If a dog is injured in an accident and hasn’t been properly secured, insurers may see this as negligence. That means vet bills could be refused, leaving owners to cover the cost themselves.
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“Beyond the financial impact, an unrestrained dog can distract the driver or be thrown forward in a collision, increasing the risk of serious injury to both pets and passengers.
"Taking a few extra moments to secure your dog properly can make a real difference to everyone’s safety.”
The Highway Code states: "When in a vehicle make sure dogs or other animals are suitably restrained so they cannot distract you while you are driving or injure you, or themselves, if you stop quickly.
"A seat belt harness, pet carrier, dog cage or dog guard are ways of restraining animals in cars."
You may not realise, but having an unrestrained dog in your car can be extremely dangerous. They could be thrown forward in an accident or suddenly lurch at you while you're driving.
Or they could knock the gear stick or handbrake unintentionally.
Go Compare explained: “If your dog is crate trained, using a crate for travel can be a good idea. It should be big enough that your dog can sit, stand up, turn around and lie down in it easily.
“However, if you have a larger breed, you might find it is too large to fit into your vehicle. If so, a well-fitting harness that clips onto a fixture in the boot or to your car’s seat belts in the back seat is another option.”