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When dogs are in the car, be careful

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  • Originally published July 1, 2008 at 12:57 p.m., updated July 1, 2008 at 12:57 p.m.

Editor, the Advocate:

RE: Take Your Dog to Work Day: apparently a good turn out for pet owners.

My question: How were the dogs transported? I assume in the front seat with the driver.

The law follows: children from infancy to under age 5 (36 inches) must be in the child’s car seat, buckled or get a ticket.

Drivers should pull over while talking on the cell phones when driving, and, they don’t there should be the possibility of getting a ticket.

And what about having alcoholic beverages in the front seat? It should be in the back seat out of reach. It is against the law to consume alcoholic beverages while driving. After consuming .08 (over) of alcohol, one is considered to be driving while intoxicated.

There is a reason the above three are and should be against the law. The child and use of cell phone can distract the driver causing an accident. The infant, child, if not buckled will play, jump and probably go over the front seat and open the car window putting his/her head outside. The cell phone can cause an argumentative conversation leading to disruption and distraction. Drinking while driving impairs one’s attention, poor judgment and could cause loss of control, poor vision, and result in accidents. Eleven years ago my uncle had a terrier. He was on his way to Beeville. Well, sad to say, the terrier got between the brake. Apparently, he did not want to brake or couldn’t because he didn’t want to kill his dog, so instead he went 60 mph on a curve. He flipped and rolled over in his truck, and my uncle died.

I see many drivers with their dogs in the front seat of the vehicle, on the drivers lap, hanging out the car window, and sometimes the passenger’s window. I hate to see owner’s with dogs on their lap, near the steering wheel. It just takes a second, a sudden unexpected move, excitement for the dog to jump to the dash or floor, and distract the driver causing an accident. There was also a girl riding her bike with a dog over her left shoulder, holding it with one hand and the other hand on the bar-handle. She could have fallen crossing the street. There should be a law: buckle up or ticket it!

Yolanda Garza

Cuero



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Comments

  • romonak romonak Report a ViolationReport a Violation Permalink  | 

    yolanda...just because something is just plain stupid, doesn't mean we need to have a law making it illegal. what is the mindset nowadays? We need to allow people to be people and to take reponsibility for their own actions.

    Getting into a vehicle everyday ultimately results in many accidents, injuries and deaths. But we still get up everyday and do it. We don't need to make a law outlawing vehicles because some people are too stupid to drive them.

    July 1, 2008 at 12:29 p.m.