Andy Burnham needs to change 1 car law – Brits wouldn’t forgive him
Andy Burnham is forced to change a driving law the moment he enters Downing Street. If he doesn’t, almost 190,000 people will never forgive him. Everyone who has a pet knows one thing; they are a true member of the family. So why are some animals treated differently under automobile regulations? Cats are not protected and this is a rule that needs to be changed.
Under the UK Road Traffic Act 1988, if your car hits a dog, you have a legal obligation to pull over and report the incident. It is not possible to say the same for cats. This means it is perfectly legal in the UK to mow down a cat and walk away, leaving pets scared, alone and in pain as their lives end. The thought alone is enough to give you chills.
Previous data suggests that as many as 230,000 cats are hit by cars each year; This equates to an average of 630 cats every day. Accidents happen, and no matter how sad it is, cars hit cats. But what’s truly shocking is how people deal with it after that.
How many drivers are stopping? Less than you think. Cats Protection’s research found that less than 25% of drivers stop their car after hitting a cat. This is too bad. A new Parliament petition from Cats Matter has called for a new law requiring drivers to stop, check and report road collisions involving cats.
Britons appear to agree, with 189,000 people signing on the dotted line in support of the move. However, the plan was flatly rejected by the authorities, emphasizing that the Government had “no current plan” to introduce new rules.
The Department for Transport explained: “As cats are much smaller than other animals and are often most active at dawn or dusk, in many cases drivers may not be aware they have hit them, especially in larger vehicles. Therefore, it would be difficult to prosecute drivers if the law were changed.”
This doesn’t feel good enough. Even if a new rule is introduced, it is inevitable that some cats will still die scared and alone. It will not be 100% effective.
But changing the legislation will ensure stopping after a crash becomes the new normal for the next generation.
It’s also possible that the rule alone will encourage drivers to drive more slowly in public housing, so they can react more quickly if a cat jumps out.
