Many dogs loving riding in a car. But a new study suggests that how they ride may be bad for your health.
Researchers followed 15 people who were driving with their dogs for more than 30 hours. They found the risk of unsafe driving behaviors and distracted driving time more than doubled when the dog roamed freely.
This is compared to when the dog was restrained or was in a crate or carrier.
Also, the drivers' heart rates were likely to increase if their four-legged friend was unrestrained.
Some of the bad behaviors included dogs climbing on the owner's lap, or jumping from seat to seat resulting in the driver taking eyes off the road.
The research was conducted by Volvo Car USA and The Harris Poll.