56% of Americans Drive with Their Dog in the Car

I think most pet owners want their pets with them as often as possible, which is why we try to take our animals with us everywhere we go. But, there's a good chance it'll negatively affect your driving.

There's a new survey in PR Newswire from Triple-A and a company called Kurgo that makes pet travel products, and they found that 56% of Americans drive with their dog in the car at least once a month.

The problem is that dogs create distractions for whoever's driving, which leads to RISKY BEHAVIOR:   According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, looking away from the road for only two seconds doubles your risk of being in a crash.

So what kind of distractions are we talking about?

About 52% of drivers admit that they take at least one hand off the wheel in order to pet their dog.

23% of people have used their arms to hold the dog in place when they slam on the brakes, instead of paying attention to whatever forced them to stop.

19% have had to let go of the wheel to keep the dog from climbing into the front seat, and 18% have reached into the back seat to interact with their dog.

17% let their dog sit in their lap while driving, 13% feed their dog or give him treats . . . and 3% have TAKEN A PHOTO of their dog while driving.