Dangers When Driving With Animals In The Car
Florida drivers understand that distracted driving creates accident risks, but they often don’t recognize the full scope of distraction types. For example, everyone knows that texting while driving is dangerous, but they could jump in their car with their dog every day, without thinking about how an unrestrained animal could be dangerous.
If you were injured in a Clearwater, Hudson, or Tampa accident because of an animal in your car, or because you were struck by a driver who was interacting with their cat, dog, or other creature and was not paying attention to the road, discuss the worth of your claim with an experienced attorney. Then, a path toward a maximum compensation amount can be strategized.
Ways Pets Cause Distractions
For animal lovers, pets are part of the family, whether they choose to have a dog, cat, ferret, or all three. And while traveling with animals can be enjoyable, risks arise when pet owners decide to interact with their animals or the animal becomes agitated and jumps on the lap of the driver or causes confusion in the vehicle.
Here are some tips on driving responsibly with animals:
- Do not allow your pet to ride on your lap as you drive the vehicle.
- Keep your hands on the wheel, do not take your attention away from driving to play with your pet or give them treats.
- Avoid the temptation to take a photo of your pet.
- Consider a crate or restraining option for pets.
It is not illegal to have an unrestrained animal in your car, but understanding the risks of that decision is important. After all, there are animal injury risks when an accident occurs. Exploring a restraint or crate option could be the best way to keep both people and pets as safe as possible.
Vet Bills Could Be Part of Your Compensation
Because pets are considered personal property, veterinary expenses due to an animal being injured in a crash could be part of your compensation. Keeping records is important, so seeing a vet promptly is essential. Also, having the animal injury stated in the vet report as a result of the crash can strengthen your claim.
While pets can bring a lot of joy to life, it is important to keep everyone safe when traveling with animals. Take the steps you can to keep yourself, your passengers, and your furry friends healthy. And if a vehicular accident does occur, be sure people and animals receive the medical care they need. Medical bills for you and vet bills for your pets could be part of your damage recovery, discuss next steps with a Florida personal injury lawyer.
Are you recovering from an injury because of a crash involving an animal? Claims involving distracted drivers and pets can be complicated, but the skilled attorneys at Roman & Roman know how to help. Our lawyers know how to secure the compensation you need because our team of personal injury lawyers have over 100 years of combined experience. Schedule your no-obligation, free consultation today.
