Distracted driving is a major cause of car accidents across the country. Distracted driving is generally defined as any activity that takes a driver's concentration away from the road. We have heard a lot about texting and phone use while behind the wheel, but one classic car activity is getting more attention lately. We are all familiar with the image of a dog hanging out of the car window on a sunny summer day, but driving around with man's best friend, at least while unrestrained, has gained attention for safety reasons.

Some law enforcement and animal advocates are pushing for pet seat-belt harnesses as a part of their distracted driving campaigns. According to the founder of advocacy group Bark Buckle Up, around 89 percent of pets that traveled by car last year were not properly restrained. While that statistic is not encouraging from a distracted driving viewpoint, the number is an improvement from the previous year. Only two percent of pets were restrained while traveling in cars during 2008.

Even though there are no current federal or state laws that require pets to be restrained inside vehicles, the lack of restrainment presents a danger to both the animal and the occupants of the vehicle. Like other unrestrained objects in a car, a pet can become a projectile when the brakes are applied at 50 miles per hour. In fact, car manufacturers have shown that a 60 pound unrestrained object in the back seat traveling at 30 miles per hour can turn into 2,700 pounds of force.

Unrestrained pets can also become a danger at an accident site. The pet could wander into traffic or the pet could become aggressive toward emergency medical personnel aiding individuals at the accident scene.

As a result, pet-travel products are on the rise. Harnesses and gates are available for larger pets and keep them out of the front seat. Booster seats that attach to headrests are available for smaller pets.

Source: The Wall Street Journal, "Get in the car, fasten your belt, that's a good boy!" Gwendolyn Bounds, 6/29/11