Is it Illegal to Drive With Your Dog on Your Lap in Connecticut?

I'm the mama to a 13 pound Cavapoo whom I absolutely adore (she's perfect okay). Every time we're in the car, though, she likes to try to sneak her way onto my lap to look out the window rather than just sitting in the seat next to me. I know they make car seats for dogs and that's an immediate solution, but it always raises a question for me -

Is it illegal to drive with your dog on your lap in Connecticut?

Every time she hops on my lap, I always wonder if a cop can pull me over for that. I know it's not considered safe driving, I just didn't know if there was a law specifically designated for that. I took a look online and this is what I found.

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Technically, yes, it is illegal to have your dog ride on your lap while driving. Connecticut has a driving law that prohibits activity that can interfere with safely driving. CT.gov says "Connecticut law does not explicitly bar drivers from allowing dogs or other animals to sit on their laps. But it does prohibit people from engaging in any activity in a motor vehicle that interferes with its safe operation on a highway." So technically, while it doesn't specifically say that you're dog can't be on your lap, it still coincides with interfering with safe driving.

A fun fact I saw while reading that - Hawaii and New Jersey are the only two states that specifically has a rule against letting pets sit on your lap while operating a vehicle. Connecticut and Arizona have distracted driving laws that can sit under the umbrella of this situation. And then Alabama, Florida, Delaware and Rhode Island have a rule that your animal must be restraint in a car whether that is a seat belt or a crate.

This is great information to have. Looks like a dog car seat is the safest bet for all of us.