27-02-2025
Is it dangerous? AZ drivers could be fined for having pet on their lap with proposed bill
Flagstaff resident and retired Marine pilot Larry Larkin started noticing a trend in the 45 years he's lived in Flagstaff — more and more people drove with their pets in their laps.
"I yelled at one gentleman one day with a dog in his lap, and he said, 'That's a seeing-eye dog,'" he laughed as he spoke with the state Senate Public Safety Committee on Feb. 19. He likened driving with a pet in your lap to driving while on your phone.
Larkin went to the local police and the Coconino County Sheriff's Office to see if there were any rules against it and quickly found out that there weren't. He set out to change that with his Senate representative, Wendy Rogers, R-Flagstaff.
Rogers introduced Senate Bill 1270 which would fine motorists for driving with pets in their laps.
The measure passed with bipartisan support in the Public Safety Committee. Sen. David Gowan, R-Sierra Vista, was the only one on the seven-person committee who opposed, saying the wording needed some work because "animals will just do what they do in a vehicle sometimes."
If passed by the Legislature, SB 1270 aims to increase roadway safety by prohibiting motorists from driving with an animal on their lap. Those who violate the rule could face a fine of up to $150, with repeat offenders facing upwards of $250. The fines would begin Jan. 1, 2026.
A violation of this rule would not be considered for a license suspension or revocation, according to the bill.
"This simple but key step will help prevent distractions, reduce accidents and ultimately protect both drivers and animals. With civil penalties for violations, this bill takes a sensible approach to addressing a growing concern," Rosanna Gabaldón, D-Green Valley, said in a statement to The Arizona Republic.
She voted in favor of the bill during the committee session.
Other bills are impacting roadways: Here's slow drivers could procure a hefty fine under this proposed bill
Two animal welfare groups, the Humane Voters of Arizona and the Animal Defense League of Arizona, have publicly given their support for this bill, along with 13 people.
"Driving with an animal on your lap is a danger to the animal, it's a danger to the driver, and it's a danger to other drivers," said Karen Michael, who spoke on behalf of the Humane Voters of Arizona and the Animal Defense League of Arizona. She is a board member of both organizations.
An LGBTQ+ organization, the Stonewall Democrats of Arizona, and three people have opposed. The Stonewall Democrats of Arizona could not be reached for comment.
A previous bill was introduced by Sen. John Kavanagh, R-Fountain Hills, in 2018. Senate Bill 1116 created a $100 fine for drivers with an animal on their lap. The bill was on the agenda of the Senate Transportation and Technology Committee but did not receive a hearing.
Hawaii bans a motorist having a pet on their lap, and other states may be able to charge drivers under distracted driving laws, animal cruelty laws, or laws against unrestrained pets in a moving vehicle.
According to AAA, an unrestrained 10-pound dog in a crash at only 30 mph will exert roughly 300 pounds of pressure.
"It wouldn't take a major collision to be deadly," Michael said, noting that an airbag deployment could also hurt or kill the animal.
Distracted driving due to an animal is another concern for lawmakers and lobbyists. Over 3,000 people died in 2022 across the U.S. from distracted driving, according to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration.
The Arizona Department of Public Safety doesn't specifically track incidents related to pets in a vehicle, DPS spokesperson Bart Graves said, and there's not much existing data nationwide that relates distracted driving to pets in the car.
However, it takes less than five seconds to be considered a "distracted driver," the NHTSA said. Distracted driving can include anything from phone use to a pet jumping around in the car.
There's no law against having a pet loose in the car in Arizona, but Graves emphasized to keep your pet properly secured to ensure they're not a distraction. Arizona Humane Society spokesperson Joe Casados also recommended a pet seatbelt to help secure your pet.
The Arizona Humane Society could not comment on the content of SB 1270.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: AZ Senate committee advances bill prohibiting pets in drivers' laps
