Are you the type of person that likes to cruise the boulevard with your dog riding shotgun, or more specifically, in the drivers seat? As a pet lover myself, I certainly can understand the allure of having your faithful friend catching the wind in his or her face as your ride the highways, but is this something that you may want to think twice about?

While some states have considered laws against driving with a dog on your lap, there seems to be a struggle to pass legislation against man's best friend behind the wheel. Whether the law prohibits you from having Fido at the wheel should be moot, rather you should consider the possible problems that could be raised by this driving habit.

If talking on a cell phone is distracting, no doubt having a living being using you as a seat is equally or nearly as distracting to a driver. Of course there are dogs who may do little more then sleep, but I think that we have all seen cars on the road that look as though they are being driven by 90 pound, hairy beings. You might say, "well my dog likes to ride on my lap, but he certainly isn't a distraction!"

Maybe so, but look at all of the accidents on the road that take place without that added distraction. The mere possibility that the dog might briefly block your vision or require your attention at the most inopportune time should be enough to deter any pet owner from this practice. At the very least, if you aren't going to do it for yourself, or the other people on the road, then think about your pet. If you crash, he will crash with you, and it he's on your lap, it's safe to say he isn't buckled in!