Drivers warned over potentially fatal mistake after shocking video on Aussie road
Seeing pets riding shotgun is a quintessentially Australian thing – but some drivers need a reminder to avoid putting their animals at risk.
An Australian vet is warning drivers everywhere to treat their "pets like human passengers" when they're in the car, after a video emerged showing the devastating consequences a collision can have on unsecured animals.
Video uploaded to social media this week by a tow-truck driver in Perth showed a badly damaged front windscreen after the motorist's pet Staffordshire bull terrier slammed into it during an accident. The confronting aftermath is recorded in the viral clip, with the driver claiming the dog was "fine" despite the apparent force of the collision.
"What a hard hit — destroyed the front of the car window, poor thing," the tow-truck driver is heard saying in the footage.
This kind of scenario could have easily proved deadly and the animal is lucky to be alive, says Dr Iain Keir, an emergency and critical care specialist at SASH Sydney animal hospital.
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While most drivers do the right thing in their vehicles, some people need reminding of the importance of properly securing their pets, Dr Keir told Yahoo News.
"They're essentially passengers in a car, so [secure them] similar to how we would any passenger, be it an adult or a child, you want them to be restrained with a seat belt.
"If the pet is unrestrained, they're going to be travelling at the same speed as a car ... They'll keep travelling at 40, 50k an hour and hit the nearest object, which will be the dashboard or the back seat, if they're not restrained."
Dr Keir said pets "can have varying degrees of injury" from bumps and bruises, to wounds that can be "catastrophic and life threatening". Something which he has seen plenty of in his day job.
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"If you're traveling on a motorway with an unrestrained pet, and you're in a crash, then there's a high chance that injury will be fatal," he warned. I many cases the animal will suffer internal injuries to their lungs, liver or spleen, which can cause internal bleeding.
"Around more urban roads where we're not travelling that fast, you may end up with broken legs or less severe injuries, but they still cause significant pain," he added.
Never keep dogs in front seat, expert warns
Ensuring animals are always restrained when travelling is the first step in keeping them safe, Dr Keir said, warning against ever allowing them in the front seat.
"I'd always recommend dogs, if they're going to be in the seats, are restrained using harnesses that can attach to seatbelts," he said. "I'd certainly try to avoid having them in the front seat."
Laws around how dogs can travel in cars vary depending on the jurisdiction in Australia, but in all regions it's illegal to travel with a dog on your lap, and authorities strongly encourage animals to be restrained.
In NSW for example, you can travel with your pet in the front seat as long as it does not impede your ability to control the vehicle. This is generally the rule of thumb around the country.
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