How to travel with your dog to avoid Spanish fines

The DGT can fine you up to 500 euros if you place your pet incorrectly in the car.

This is how your dog should travel to save money on fines and drive safely.

You have probably wondered more than once how to transport your dog in the car. This question is common among people who have a pet and have to travel or make a trip.

In these situations, you must know how to place it properly in the vehicle. It is a matter of safety, but also of money: the DGT severely punishes certain errors.

Placing your dog incorrectly in the car can cost you a fine of up to 500 euros. This is because the driver’s freedom of movement is endangered in such a case. This is stated in article 18.1 of the General Traffic Regulations.

Failure to comply does not result in a loss of points, but it will cost you money and, more importantly, in the event of an accident you are exposed to very serious damage.

If your pet is not secured sufficiently in the back seats and you are involved in a crash, the chances of it being thrown towards the front of the vehicle increase, potentially causing you serious injury or making the accident worse.

In addition, of course, the pet’s own safety is at stake in these situations. So it is worth knowing how to accommodate the dog in the car to avoid any scares.

See below for an explanation on how your pet should be in the car so that you do not get a ticket and drive as safely as possible.

How to take your dog in the car

The DGT explains on its website how to take your pet in the car.

If your dog is left loose in the back seat, fines will range from 80 to 200 euros. The same applies if you use a safety device that is not approved.

These are the safety elements that you must use so that you do not get a fine and that your dog or cat travels safely:

• Harness with 2 hooks: this prevents the pet from moving forward, so no load is transmitted to the driver in the event of an accident.
• Carrier placed on the floor of the vehicle: small carriers work better on the floor, since if there is an impact, the energy is absorbed quickly, greatly reducing the danger.
• Carrier in the trunk: use it if the pet is large and this safety element as well; you have to place it transversely in the direction of travel.
• Divider grid combined with carrier: placing a grid between the pillars of the car structure, separating the cabin from the trunk, allows the pet to move freely without disturbing the driver. However, it must be combined with a carrier so that the animal does not get thrown out in the event of an accident.

Another very important aspect to bear in mind is that the pet can never travel in the passenger seat.

In this case, the DGT can fine you up to 500 euros, even if it travels in its carrier.

SOURCE: BUSINESS INSIDER