Dog Road Safety: Know The Law

There’s no law in Maine requiring dogs to wear seat belts or be secured during transportation within an enclosed section of a vehicle. Maine state law dictates that a person driving a pickup truck, convertible, or other open vehicle “may not transport a dog in the open portion of that vehicle on a public way unless the dog is protected in a manner that prevents the dog from falling or jumping or being thrown from the vehicle.” And drivers with pets on their laps can be charged under the existing distracted driving law. - Resource 1

While Massachusetts does not currently have a law requiring dogs to wear seat belts when riding inside a vehicle, dogs being transported in the bed of a truck must be restrained. In addition to requiring the sides and tailgate of the vehicle to reach a certain height, dogs must be secured within a crate or cage, or properly cross-tethered to the vehicle.

State law specifies that "No person, when operating a motor vehicle, shall permit to be on or in the vehicle or on or about his person anything which may interfere with or impede the proper operation of the vehicle or any equipment by which the vehicle is operator or controlled," which could apply to unrestrained dogs in the car.

Cruelty-to-animals laws state that any person who "carries [an animal] or causes it to be carried in or upon a vehicle, or otherwise, in an unnecessarily cruel or inhumane manner or in a way and manner which might endanger the animal carried thereon" could be required to pay a fine or face jail time. - Resource 1 - Resource 2

Michigan doesn’t have a dog seat belt law as of 2024. The state’s penal code requires that “a person shall not … carry or cause to be carried a live animal in or upon a vehicle or otherwise without providing a secure space, rack, car, crate, or cage … in which [it] may stand, turn around, and lie down during transportation.” A bill was introduced in 2017 to prohibit the operation of a vehicle with a dog in the driver’s lap, but it did not become law. The only restrictions on dog transportation in Michigan are related to wolf-dog hybrids. The law states that any wolf-dog hybrid must be transported in compliance with the International Air Transport Association’s Live Animal Regulations for Dogs. - Resource 1 - Resource 2

While Minnesota does not currently have a law requiring dogs to wear seat belts or be secured within the cab of a vehicle during transportation, anyone transporting an animal must provide “suitable racks, cars, crates, or cages in which the animals can both stand and lie down during transportation.” Additionally, the state’s distracted driving laws could apply to careless or reckless driving as a result of an unrestrained dog. - Resource 1 - Resource 2

No law in New Hampshire requires a dog to wear a seat belt or be contained in a crate during transportation within the cab of a vehicle. However, dogs being transported in the bed of a truck must be properly restrained. The sides and tailgate of the vehicle must reach a certain height, and dogs must be secured within a crate or cage, or properly cross-tethered to the vehicle to comply with the law. - Resource 1

Oregon requires a restraint for a dog riding outside of a vehicle's cab on the external part of the vehicle. The dog must be secured by a framework, carrier, or another device sufficient to keep it from falling from the vehicle. There is no law requiring seat belts or safety restraints for a dog riding inside the car. - Resource 1

Dogs being transported in an open-air vehicle need to be in an enclosed area and either secured within a crate, restrained with a harness or pet seat belt designed for use in a vehicle, or under the physical control of a person other than the driver. Violation of the law carries a fine of up to $200 depending on the number of offenses. - Resource 1

No state law in Arkansas requires a dog to wear a seat belt or be contained in a crate during transport inside the vehicle. However, in Little Rock, a dog riding in the back of a pickup truck or any open-bed vehicle must be contained in a suitable carrier or crate or reasonably tethered if the dog is too big for a crate. - Resource 1

There is no law in Colorado requiring dogs to wear seat belts while in a vehicle. However, the Colorado State Patrol specifically cites dogs in laps and unrestrained pets as a cause for distracted driving and lane change violations. State troopers are cracking down on both, and driving with a loose dog or lap dog can result in a citation for careless driving if the dog causes a traffic or lane violation. - Resource 1

There is no law in Delaware requiring dogs to wear a seat belt or be contained in a crate during transport. - Resource 1

Though there is no law requiring dogs to wear seat belts in Washington, D.C., “interacting with pets” is considered a type of distracted driving, which is prohibited. - Resource 1

Georgia law doesn’t require dogs to wear a seat belt or be contained in a crate during transport but considers “anything that requires a driver to take their hand off the wheel” a driving distraction, and this can include wrangling or petting a loose dog. - Resource 1

There is no law in Idaho requiring dogs to wear a seat belt or be contained in a crate during transport. - Resource 1

There is no law in Kansas requiring dogs to wear a seat belt or be contained in a crate during transport. - Resource 1

There is no law in Kentucky requiring dogs to wear a seat belt or be contained in a crate during transport. - Resource 1

There is no law in Montana requiring dogs to wear a seat belt or be contained in a crate during transportation. - Resource 1

There is no law in Nebraska requiring dogs to wear a seat belt or be contained in a crate during transportation. - Resource 1

There is no law in Nevada requiring dogs to wear a seat belt or be contained in a crate during transportation, but “cruel and inhumane” methods of transporting animals are banned. - Resource 1 - Resource 2

There is no law in New Mexico requiring dogs to wear a seat belt or be contained in a crate during transportation. - Resource 1

There is no law in South Dakota requiring dogs to wear a seat belt or be contained in a crate during transport. - Resource 1

There is no law in West Virginia requiring dogs to wear seat belts or be secured within a crate or cage while being transported in a vehicle. - Resource 1

There is no law in Wyoming requiring dogs to wear seat belts or be secured within a crate or cage while being transported in a vehicle. - Resource 1

Arizona doesn’t currently have a law specifically requiring dogs to wear seat belts. However, drivers may be charged under existing distracted driving laws if they drive with an animal in their lap, or if a police officer determines the transportation method creates an unsafe situation. - Resource 1

California doesn’t require dogs to wear seat belts or be secured within the enclosed space of a vehicle during transportation, but dogs riding in the bed of a truck must be cross tethered to the vehicle or secured in a crate or cage to prevent injury from falling, jumping, or being thrown from the vehicle. No law has passed regarding dogs riding in laps, but driving with unrestrained pets may be considered distracted driving. - Resource 1 - Resource 2

There’s no law in Florida which requires a dog to wear a seat belt or be contained in a crate during transport. However, the state is cracking down on distracted driving, and the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles public service campaign includes unsecured pets in the list of common distractions other than texting. If you are in an accident in Florida with an unrestrained pet in the car, you may be deemed at-fault depending on the circumstances. - Resource 1

While Hawaii does not currently have a seat belt law for dogs, driving with a pet in your lap is a violation if there’s an obstruction to the driver’s view or driving mechanism.

In Honolulu, dogs (or any other animal) must be contained within your car, either by total enclosure in the vehicle (no heads out of windows), within a secured container, or cross tethered to prevent injury. - Resource 1 - Resource 2

There is no law in Iowa which requires a dog to wear a seat belt or be contained in a crate during transport. However, you could be fined for driving with a restricted view. Though this is not an animal-specific restriction, an unrestrained dog—especially riding in the driver’s lap—could fall under this code. - Resource 1

There’s no Maryland law requiring dogs to wear seat belts or be secured during transportation, but “a person may not drive a vehicle on a highway with any object, material, or obstruction so located in or on the vehicle as to interfere with the clear view of the driver through the windshield.” This could apply to dogs riding in the driver’s lap, though it does not explicitly state this restriction. Maryland DOT’s 2024 “Zero Deaths” campaign specifically targets distracted driving, which could apply to an unrestrained dog in the car. MDOT defines “distracted driving” as anything that takes a driver’s eyes off the road, hearing or thinking about something not related to driving, and manipulating anything other than the steering wheel. - Resource 1 - Resource 2

Mississippi doesn’t require dogs to wear seat belts or be secured during transportation, but it’s a misdemeanor to "carry or confine [an animal] in a cruel manner," which could apply to transporting a dog unsafely. - Resource 1

North Carolina doesn’t require dogs to be restrained, but under the state’s cruelty to animals laws, carrying any animal in a cruel or inhumane manner is considered a Class 1 misdemeanor. The NCDOT recommends having pets in a carrier to avoid distracted driving. - Resource 1 - Resource 2

North Dakota doesn’t legally require dogs to be restrained while riding in the car. The state does have a distracted driving law, stating that anything that impairs a driver’s ability to “safely operate the vehicle” is considered a distraction. If you commit a traffic violation as the result of being distracted by a loose dog in the car, you could be issued a fine. - Resource 1

Oklahoma doesn’t require a dog to wear a seat belt or be contained in a crate during transportation, but per Oklahoma's current cruelty to animals statutes, it’s a misdemeanor to carry an animal in a vehicle in a cruel or inhumane manner. If you cause a crash or drive dangerously as the result of your loose dog, you could get a citation under Oklahoma’s Full Time and Attention to Driving law. - Resource 1 - Resource 2

As of 2024, there is no law in South Carolina which requires a dog to wear a seat belt or be contained in a crate during transportation. It’s worth noting that the state is cracking down on distracted driving, and the SC Department of Public Safety states that drivers should “properly secure pets in a pet carrier or portable kennel” to avoid distracted driving. - Resource 1

There is no law in Tennessee which requires a dog to wear a seat belt or be contained in a crate during transportation, but current cruelty to animals statues make it illegal to transport or confine an animal in a cruel manner. - Resource 1

There is no law in Texas which requires a dog to wear a seat belt or be contained in a crate during transportation, including the bed of a pickup truck. Certain cities have ordinances prohibiting dogs in the back of pickups, so check with the town for local laws. Disorderly conduct laws state that it’s an offense to transport or confine an animal in a cruel manner. - Resource 1

There is no law in Utah which requires a dog to wear a seat belt or be contained in a crate during transportation. Per Utah’s anti-cruelty provisions, it’s illegal to transport or confine an animal in a cruel manner. - Resource 1

Vermont law doesn’t require a dog to wear a seat belt or be contained in a crate during transportation, but animal health regulations and animal transportation rules stipulate that “no person shall transport any animal... in a cruel or inhumane manner.” - Resource 1

There is no law in Virginia which requires a dog to wear a seat belt or be contained in a crate during transportation, but Virginia's dog laws require that owners provide adequate care for companion animals during transportation. The Virginia DMV website lists unrestrained pets as a distraction and recommends all pets be secured while driving, and recommends seat belt harnesses, dog car seats, and pet crates as options. - Resource 1

Washington state doesn’t require a dog to wear a seat belt or be contained in a crate during transportation, but it’s a misdemeanor to transport animals in a way that would pose a risk to the animal or public safety and there’s a penalty for transporting or confining a companion animal in an unsafe manner. Having a loose pet or dog riding on the driver's lap could be considered a secondary violation for distracted driving if a driver is pulled over for erratic driving or running a red light—but wouldn’t be enough to initiate a traffic stop. - Resource 1

There’s no law in Wisconsin requiring dogs to wear seat belts or be secured within a crate or cage while being transported in a vehicle, but it’s illegal to transport an animal in or on a vehicle in a cruel manner. Drivers with a dog in their lap can be cited for inattentive driving. - Resource 1