"Nighthawkwill7, Hoon Depot Manager" (Nighthawkwill7)
11/30/2014 at 17:28 • Filed to: None

Hypothetical question time. I was talking to a friend of mine and the subject about who is at fault when running over a dog by accident came up. She argued that the driver is always liable for the injury or death of the animal.

Now I'm no legal expert but I'm fairly sure that leash laws require that the pet owner keep control over their pet at all times and thus should take the necessary precautions when walking their dogs in the vicinity of traffic. I'd rather it never happened but as pets don't understand the concept of traffic, accidents are bound to happen whenever animals are near active roadways.

Personally, I'm a dog lover but I'd rather not take the risk of of swerving into oncoming traffic or getting rear ended just to avoid an animal that has suddenly darted in front of me.

Keep in mind that I speak as someone who had one of my dearest pets and friends, a beagle named Susie, run over by a UPS truck after she escaped from my yard just a couple of years ago. I just don't want to come across as being cold.

DISCUSSION (6)

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > Nighthawkwill7, Hoon Depot Manager
11/30/2014 at 17:32

Uh, even humans are at fault if they get hit and they aren't in a crosswalk.

My citroen won't start > Nighthawkwill7, Hoon Depot Manager
11/30/2014 at 17:36

Animals are at fault and I'd probably cry if I ran over a dog.

Tohru > Nighthawkwill7, Hoon Depot Manager
11/30/2014 at 17:38

I have an ex that still gives me shit for the time I hit a fox with my Caprice with her in the car. I tried to avoid it. I did everything I could to avoid it, so at that point it's the fox's fault.

Nighthawkwill7, Hoon Depot Manager > My citroen won't start
11/30/2014 at 17:39

I've seen it happen and it is terrible indeed.

Stang70Fastback > Nighthawkwill7, Hoon Depot Manager
11/30/2014 at 17:43

If a PERSON runs into the road in such a manner as to not give a driver of a vehicle "reasonable" time to stop, then the person in the road will be at fault, EVEN IF they are in a crosswalk. So I think it's pretty safe to assume an animal, even more so.

Sinanigans > Nighthawkwill7, Hoon Depot Manager
11/30/2014 at 19:33

Terrible and sad, but there's a reason why things like this are called accidents.