Illegal in NJ to drive with a dog on your lap or just stupid?

I saw a dumb thing over the weekend. My girlfriend and I were driving back from Atlantic City, and traffic was moving nicely for a change on the Parkway. There would be tie-ups farther north but for right then it was smooth sailing with the summer wind in your fur and jangling your collar.

At least in one car anyway.

In the middle lane was a guy driving with his window down and his dog on his lap. Probably about a 40-pound dog with its front legs and head out the driver window.

I’m sure it was having the time of its life. But is this safe? Is this smart?

No. Of course not. But what about illegal?

woman in brown long sleeve shirt sitting on car seat beside brown short coated dog during

I did some checking.

According to several legal sites I researched and also petcarerx.com, yes, it is very much against the law to have your dog on your lap as you drive.

According to that site it’s also illegal in New Jersey to have your dog ride with its head out the window. I know, I know, the killjoy nanny state, right?

But they take it seriously.

You can get a fine from $250 to $1,000 for letting your dog ride on your lap.

Boston Terrier inside a vehicle

Honestly? It’s common sense.

You wouldn’t let a kid ride on your lap, and you should want police to stop drivers who would allow a child unrestrained to run around a moving car.

That so-called fur baby of yours can become a missile inside your car in an accident, hurting not only the dog itself but human passengers too.

Also, how creepily close do you have to be to your pet? I wonder if the guy I saw on the Parkway is that affectionate with his wife.

So yes, it’s not only really stupid, it’s really illegal. Now can we not?

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Jeff Deminski only.

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