Driving, Dogs Don't Mix, Says Detroit Lawmaker

LANSING, MI – A state lawmaker wants to make sure drivers are not distracted – by their puppies. On Tuesday, state Rep. LaTanya Garrett, a Democrat from Detroit, introduced a bill making it illegal to have a canine riding on a driver’s lap.

It happens, she said, and the proposed law "is about making sure Michigan drivers are safe," according to a report from MLive.com.

If the bill becomes law, drivers who violate it could be fined $100 for a first offense and $200 for second and subsequent offenses, according to the text of the bill. The bill, however, does allow for service animals as defined by the Americans With Disabilities Act.

Drivers, Garrett said, already have too many distractions, from mobile phones to drinking coffee to actually watching the road. She has two dogs, but makes sure they are out of her space while driving, according to the MLive report.

"It's just too much going on when a driver really needs to be focused on the road. Two seconds of being distracted can cost lives, it can be very fatal," Garrett said.

The bill has been referred to the Michigan House's Transportation and Infrastructure committee.

Image by Jeff Stacklin/Patch staff