Does A Driver Legally Have To Stop If A Dog Runs Out In Front Of Them?

[catcuddler]

Hi all hope everyone is well on this chilly bonfire night
My questions is.If a dog runs out in front of a moving car is the driver legally required to stop/slam on the brakes for the dog?I know the driver has to report the incident if the dog is hit but not sure about stopping to avoid hitting said dog
TIA :)

[Peter Pedant]

I think the answer is rather obviously no

certainly not on a motorway.

In terms of, is it the dog or the lady with the pram, the dog gets squished as far as I am concerned.

[catcuddler]

Thanks for your reply peter.I was thinking more of a residential or b road.I was just wondering where a driver stands legally in terms of is s/he legally required to stop for a dog

[anneasquith]

I think you are obliged to stop .

[woofgang]

no you are not. if you hit it, then you must report it but the decision on whether to brake or not to avoid hitting the dog should be based solely on the circumstances and there is no legal requirement to do so. of course if there was no reason not to brake and you deliberately drove at the dog, this could lay you open to a charge of cruelty.

[Jeza]

I saw a dog hit by a car. The driver stopped picked the dog up and put it in the boot of his car. What happened next.......not a clue.

[Hypognosis]

If it's contradictions in the Highway Code that you're looking for then try these: -

1) Mirror, signal, maneuver, versus the emergency stop situation of animal crossing the road

2) You're expected to take into consideration whether your application of brakes on a stretch of open road would endanger the traffic behind you versus tailgaters who follow too close (and the myth that "it's always the fault of the car in front")

3) Not driving unreasonably slowly relative to the speed limit (impeding traffic behind you) versus not driving so fast that an emergency stop for people or wildlife cannot be performed without loss of control.

So, if you're being tailgated by a heavy truck and THEN a dog runs out in front of you, clearly your own (and your passengers') safety takes precedence and the dog loses out. I don't think there is a law which covers it though.

[catcuddler]

Thanks all especially woofgang.You have won me a bet with my fiance :)

[Hypognosis]

I got part of what I said wrong. Oops.

The saying is that "it's always the fault of the car behind", which is why the crash-for-cash bozos overtake, get back in lane leaving no gap and then slam the brakes on, in front of you.