Road safety officials urge motorists to ‘belt up’ their pets

It’s a pet hate for road safety professionals — animals that are unsecured in cars and vans are posing a major safety risk to drivers and their passengers.

Dog and cat lovers, in particular, are being urged not only to ensure that they and their fellow passengers wear seat belts while travelling, but to belt up their pets too.

The danger caused by unsecured animals came to light in a recent court case in Co Mayo when a woman swerved her car headlong into another vehicle after her cat jumped off her lap.