For dog owners, especially when pets weigh more than 10 kilos, the most comfortable thing is to travel by car. So that both they and we can do it as safely as possible, there is a protocol to follow. Although at this point, it is worth remembering that wheeled vehicles can cause accidents not only when animals circulate inside them.
However, going back to the main topic, The DGT does not have a specific regulation that regulates the transport of pets but what the body that orders the roads does have is a regulation in which certain obligations of the driver appear that can interfere with driving in the company of our furry ones. Although it may not seem like it at first.
Thus, article 18.1 of said regulation stipulates something that has been the target of fines for several drivers traveling with dogs properly secured to the passenger seat:
“The driver of a vehicle is required to maintain their own freedom of movement, the field of vision and permanent attention to driving, that guarantee their own safety, that of the rest of the occupants of the vehicle and that of other road users. For these purposes, you must take special care to maintain the proper position and that the rest of the passengers maintain it, and the proper placement of the objects or animals transported so that there is no interference between the driver and any of them.
However, this paragraph of the regulation carries some ambiguity when it comes to being interpreted and this has caused some drivers to be fined even when transporting their dog tied with an approved belt. This is because, if the restraint system gives the animal enough mobility to interfere with the driver’s space, it can cause a dangerous situation and fail to comply with what is marked by the DGT.
Let us remember that it is not necessary to have a Doberman or a German shepherd, although the size and weight of our furry is that of a Pekingese and it may seem harmless to us, due to the elephant effect and in the event of a collision or accident, a 20-kilo dog multiply its weight by 35.
So, if for example we drive at 50 kilometers per hour, our pet weighs 700 kilos. Failure to comply with the regulations of the DGT can result in fines for drivers ranging from 80 to 500 euros.
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