The calendar says summer begins June 20th but people in the Greater Binghamton have been in summer mode for weeks now.  Hey, we live in the Northeast.  We need to get all the summer we can and take it while we can get it.

Along with summer comes cute summer drivers.  I should rephrase that and say drivers think they are being cute.  On my way to work today I thought I saw a dog driving a car.  I'm not kidding.  It looked like a dog driving a car around Glenwood Ave in Binghamton.

According to AAA, 52 percent of dog owners take their pets with them on the road.  17% of those let the pooch ride on their lap.  Four percent admitted to playing with their dog while behind the wheel and seven percent say they have fed or given water to their dog while driving.  While you might think this is funny, it's another example of distracted and dangerous driving that could easily kill someone.

The truth is, driving with a dog or cat on your lap or making it look like your pet is driving is not just unsafe for you, it's unsafe for the animal and to other drivers.  Even if the car is going 20 or 30 miles an hour, a 60-pound dog can hit the windshield, car seat or a passenger with a force of 2,700 pounds.

So please, a lesson for all:  no dog driving, driving with dogs on your lap, no texting,  looking at your phones or DUI; just pay attention to what you are doing and pay attention to what you are doing.  You have a couple thousand pound potential killer you are steering and you must avoid distraction at all costs.

[via AAA]

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