Driver caught speeding at 90mph with a dog on his lap

Yahoo UK Staff
The van belonging to a man who was pulled over doing 90mph - with his dog (visible in the driver's seat, circled) on his lap, on the M20 in Kent. (SWNS)
The van belonging to a man who was pulled over doing 90mph - with his dog (visible in the driver's seat, circled) on his lap, on the M20 in Kent. (SWNS)

A driver was caught speeding at 90mph - with his dog on his lap.

The 32-year-old man was spotted tailgating other vehicles on the M20 in Kent at high speeds on July 21, police said.

They pulled him over and found a small white dog had been perched on his lap while he was driving.

Kent Police Road Safety Team issued the man with a notice for careless driving, meaning he could now be fined or have to complete a driver training course.

Kent Police posted on Twitter: “You'd have to be completely barking to let your dog sit on your lap when driving on the M20, but to do it at 90mph whilst tailgating other motorists and trying to hound them out of your way is crazy.”

A Kent Police spokesman added: "Shortly after 8.10pm on Sunday July 21, an officer from Kent Police’s Road Safety Team observed a Volkswagen van being driven at speeds of up to 90mph and tailgating other vehicles, between Junctions 8 and 7 of the M20 London-bound.

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The van was pulled over and the driver, a 32-year-old man, was also found to have been driving with a dog on his lap.

"He was issued with a Traffic Offence Report for careless driving. This means he is under investigation and could face a fine or a driver training course."

Chief Inspector Rhiannan Pepper, head of roads policing at Kent Police, added: "Motorists who speed and drive too close to the vehicle in front do not give themselves enough time to react if that vehicle brakes suddenly, drastically increasing the chances of there being a serious or fatal collision.

“Doing so while having an animal on your lap is even more dangerous, making it more likely that you will lose concentration and make a mistake.

"Anyone who does travel with a dog in the car should ensure it does not cause a distraction and is suitably restrained with a good quality harness, crate or guard.

“Kent Police officers are dedicated to keeping our roads safe and reducing the number of deaths and serious injuries that happen.

"We will therefore not hesitate to stop anyone we believe to be driving in a careless or dangerous manner, who risk receiving a fine, points on their licence or further prosecution.”

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