Dog jumping into front seat causes car crash, driver charged: OPP

A 66-year-old man is facing charges for reportedly crashing his vehicle into a tree after a dog jumped into the front seat, Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) say.

The OPP said officers were called to Kippen Road in Huron East just after 7 p.m. on Oct. 4 for reports of a single-vehicle crash.

Emergency services found a damaged SUV that had left the roadway and hit a tree stump.

The impact caused the airbags to deploy and left the vehicle inoperable. The driver was treated for minor injuries by paramedics at the scene.

“During the police investigation, it was discovered that a canine companion inside the vehicle had jumped into the front seat of the SUV, distracting the driver, who then lost control of the vehicle, left the roadway, and collided with the tree,” police said in a news release.

The 66-year-old driver from St. Thomas was charged with careless driving under the Highway Traffic Act.

Police are reminding motorists who travel with animals that they need to ensure the driver of the vehicle can safely operate it without distraction and that they are not obstructed or crowded by an animal.

“Failing to do so can result in a loss of control of their vehicle, obstructed views from the driver’s seat, injury to themselves, other vehicle occupants, and the animal(s),” police said.

“Please do your part to ensure animals are secured with seatbelt harnesses or are safely behind a vehicle pet barrier.”