If you have dogs, and you take them with you when you drive, you must secure them while driving. Distracted driving is a major cause of car accidents in the U.S., claiming 3,166 lives in 2017, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). A driver distracted by one of her dogs is being blamed for a crash in the York Township, Michigan.

A dog jumped into the driver’s lap distracting her and causing her to depart her lane of traffic

In the incident, Michigan police have reported that a driver has died following a collision with another vehicle. Cyril Berry, Jr., 73, of York Township, was involved in a collision which contributed to his death. The 71-year old woman who hit him was reported to have dogs in the truck with her.

“She said what happened was, the dog jumped into her lap, distracted her as she was trying to get him back into the seat, and she crossed the center line and hit that other vehicle,” Derrick Jackson, of the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office, said.

Six dogs were in the truck with the woman

According to the woman, she had six dogs in the truck with her. It was when one of the dogs jumped into her lap that she became distracted. Her truck crossed the center line and struck Berry, who was also driving a truck. Both drivers were rushed to St. Joseph Mercy Health System. While en route to the hospital, Berry died.

Some of the dogs were killed as well

In the accident, a total of three of the six dogs were killed. This included two dachshunds and a miniature pinscher mix. The other three dogs, a Shih Tzu mix, and two other Dachshunds survived the crash. The surviving dogs were taken in by the Humane Society of Huron Valley

The rest of the dogs were treated for their injuries and released to a family member

“(They) were all in shock, though the only outward injury appeared to be some lacerations to the leg of one of the Dachshunds,” Wendy Welch, communication director with the society said in an email. “All of the dogs were examined by our shelter veterinarian team, treated, and are now warm, safe and together receiving TLC at our shelter.”

Why it is important to restrain your pet while driving with them

The roadways where the accident occurred were closed for multiple hours the night of the crash. According to a department spokesman, “Having your animal restrained is good for them because obviously, three dogs died in this accident, but, also, it’s safe so they don’t jump into your lane of vision or something like that and distract you.”

Ways to restrain your pet in the car

To restrain your dog you can use a variety of devices made for this purpose, including restraining straps, harnesses, and barriers. The accident above could have been prevented if the driver had followed some simple safety tips. If her dogs had been properly restrained, Berry would probably still be alive today.

Here is a video with more on how dogs can contribute to distracted driving.

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Source: WTNH News8