Keep your windshield free of distractions, your hands on your wheel and your dog secured in a passenger seat. BC Highway Patrol wants you to avoid getting a ticket for preventable behaviour.

According to a press release, on April 9, 2025, a driver on Lougheed Highway in Burnaby was issued a ticket for driving while controls obstructed ($109 fine) because he was holding his dog while driving.

"Driving is a complex task," said Cpl. Michael McLaughlin with BC Highway Patrol. "You need all of your attention for unexpected lane changes, pedestrians, weather and obstacles. Having a dog on your lap is illegal and a minor collision could kill your best friend. It鈥檚 best if pets are belted in properly, ideally with a harness in the rear passenger seat, just like a human child."

McLaughlin cited other examples of obstructive driving behaviours that are illegal but common: mounting your cell phone on your windshield; fuzzy dice, air fresheners, tissue boxes and anything else that can obstruct your view through the windshield; blankets, privacy screens, or tinting on passenger or driver鈥檚 windows that are forward of the B pillar (the vehicle鈥檚 roof pillar located behind the driver鈥檚 shoulder).

"We want everyone to give driving the respect it deserves," said McLaughlin. "You are much more likely to avoid a ticket and the physical and emotional consequences of a crash."