Tuesday, March 15, 2022

MY FRIENDLY REPLY LETTER TODAY TO UTAH DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY STATE LAW-ENFORCEMENT AGENCY SGT. CAMERON RODEN:

 

----- Forwarded Message -----

From: John McMillan <mcmillanj@att.net>
To: Cameron Roden <croden@utah.gov>; asnider@ghsa.org <asnider@ghsa.org>; anicholas@ghsa.org <anicholas@ghsa.org>; Napo Info <info@napo.org>; Utah Chiefs of Police Assn 2021 <vshupe@utahchiefs.org>; apco@apcointl.org <apco@apcointl.org>; jbagnardi@statetroopers.org <jbagnardi@statetroopers.org>; joan@statetroopers.org <joan@statetroopers.org>; AMA Council on Science and Public Health <csaph@ama-assn.org>; health.uid@utah.gov <health.uid@utah.gov>; Nga Info <info@nga.org>; pressoffice@nga.org <pressoffice@nga.org>; prop-cas@utah.gov <prop-cas@utah.gov>; Utah Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson 2021 <beckiepage@utah.gov>; constituentservices@utah.gov <constituentservices@utah.gov>; Attorney General of Utah <uag@utah.gov>; NBC Nightly News Headqrtrs 2016 <contact.nbcnews@nbcuni.com>; Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall 2021 <mayor@slcgov.com>; Salt Lake City (UT) City Council <council.comments@slcgov.com>
Cc: SaltLakeCityTribuneEditors <letters@sltrib.com>; KSL Broadcasting <support@ksl.com>; nytnews@nytimes.com <nytnews@nytimes.com>; actionteam@peta.org <actionteam@peta.org>; mdowd@nytimes.com <mdowd@nytimes.com>; The Progressive Magazine <editorial@progressive.org>; CommentaryMagazineEditors <editorial@commentarymagazine.com>; Usnews Webmaster <webmaster@usnews.com>; Time Magazine Editors <letters@time.com>; releases@startribune.com <releases@startribune.com>; PBS Newshour Report <viewermail@newshour.org>; PBS <frontline@pbs.org>; WashingtonPostLettersEditor <letters@washpost.com>; Miami Herald Letters to Editor <heralded@miamiherald.com>; Orlando Sentinel <customerservice@orlandosentinel.com>; The White House Attn Pres. Biden <engagement@ostp.eop.gov>
Sent: Tuesday, March 15, 2022, 03:10:32 PM CDT
Subject: Re-send with emails w: Reply to pet question

A respectful FYI on this public-safety issue and animal-rights issue relating to whether  motorists in Utah should be allowed to drive their car in this state with a pet dog in the driver's lap,
from New Utah resident and former Texas resident John Kevin McMillan of Salt Lake County, Utah.
Cell phone: (512) 993-7305.


----- Forwarded Message -----
From: "John McMillan" <mcmillanj@att.net>
To: "Cameron Roden" <croden@utah.gov>, "asnider@ghsa.org" <asnider@ghsa.org>, "anicholas@ghsa.org" <anicholas@ghsa.org>, "Napo Info" <info@napo.org>, "apco@apcointl.org" <apco@apcointl.org>, "jbagnardi@statetroopers.org" <jbagnardi@statetroopers.org>, "joan@statetroopers.org" <joan@statetroopers.org>, "AMA Council on Science and Public Health" <csaph@ama-assn.org>, "health.uid@utah.gov" <health.uid@utah.gov>, "Nga Info" <info@nga.org>, "prop-cas@utah.gov" <prop-cas@utah.gov>, "Utah Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson 2021" <beckiepage@utah.gov>, "constituentservices@utah.gov" <constituentservices@utah.gov>, "NBC Nightly News Headqrtrs 2016" <contact.nbcnews@nbcuni.com>, "KSL Broadcasting" <support@ksl.com>, "Salt Lake City (UT) City Council" <council.comments@slcgov.com>, "Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall 2021" <mayor@slcgov.com>, "SaltLakeCityTribuneEditors" <letters@sltrib.com>, "Attorney General of Utah" <uag@utah.gov>, "nytnews@nytimes.com" <nytnews@nytimes.com>, "ActionTeam@peta.org" <ActionTeam@peta.org>, "mdowd@nytimes.com" <mdowd@nytimes.com>, "The Progressive Magazine" <editorial@progressive.org>, "CommentaryMagazineEditors" <editorial@commentarymagazine.com>, "Guardian (England) Story Ideas 2020" <guardian.letters@theguardian.com>, "BBC News Story Ideas (2017)" <haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk>, "PBS" <frontline@pbs.org>, "PBS Newshour Report" <viewermail@newshour.org>, "mayor@sslc.gov" <mayor@sslc.gov>, "Utahhumane Info" <info@utahhumane.org>, "dr.bogardus@yahoo.com" <dr.bogardus@yahoo.com>, "newsmedia@ldschurch.org" <newsmedia@ldschurch.org>, "500401776@missionary.org" <500401776@missionary.org>, "Allstate" <allstatepoi@allstate.com>, "CHP-PRA" <chp-pra@chp.ca.gov>, "Chp Ca Webmaster" <webmaster@chp.ca.gov>, "letters@mndaily.com" <letters@mndaily.com>, "releases@startribune.com" <releases@startribune.com>, "alumnimembership@umn.edu" <alumnimembership@umn.edu>, "Los Angeles Times" <newstips@latimes.com>, "Mittromney Info" <info@mittromney.com>, "him-roi@umail.utah.edu" <him-roi@umail.utah.edu>, "The White House Attn Pres. Biden" <engagement@ostp.eop.gov>, "APD Chief Joseph Chacon 2021" <joseph.chacon@austintexas.gov>, "Bruce Garrison" <bgarrison@metlife.com>, "Jennifer A. DeCamp" <jdecamp@mitre.org>, "WashingtonPostLettersEditor" <letters@washpost.com>, "National Association of Broadcasters" <pac@nab.org>, "National Association of Broadcasters 2021" <nab@nab.org>, "Usnews Webmaster" <webmaster@usnews.com>, "Utah Hospital Association 2021" <jill@utahhospitals.org>, "Utah Department of Health" <udohmediaoffice@utah.gov>, "s.edwards@dailyutahchronicle.com" <s.edwards@dailyutahchronicle.com>, "Republican Governors Association 2021" <info@rga.org>, "Actor/Producer Tom Hanks" <support@bookingagentinfo.com>, "California Democratic Party" <info@cadem.org>, "webmaster@democrats.org" <webmaster@democrats.org>, "ABA Commission on Disability 2020" <amy.allbright@americanbar.org>


Sent: Tue, Mar 15, 2022 at 10:21 AM
Subject: Fw: Reply to pet question
A respectful FYI to each of you on the following (below),
from new Utahn John Kevin McMillan of Salt Lake County.
My cell phone: (512) 993-7305.

----- Forwarded Message -----
From: "John McMillan" <mcmillanj@att.net>
To: "Cameron Roden" <croden@utah.gov>, "Utah Chiefs of Police Assn 2021" <vshupe@utahchiefs.org>
Sent: Tue, Mar 15, 2022 at 9:45 AM
Subject: Re: Reply to pet question
Dear Utah DPS Public Information Officer Sgt. Roden,

Thank you for your friendly follow-up reply letter.

I am hopeful that possibly some high-ranking State Government of Utah official or the Utah Legislature will be willing to require that any and all crash reports for the Utah DPS must state whether there was a pet dog or other pet animal present in any motor vehicle involved in that traffic accident, and whether that pet animal's presence or location within the vehicle or behavior had any possible role in the occurrence of that crash.

Best Wishes,
former Texas DPS full-time employee and current Utahn John Kevin McMillan of Salt Lake County, Utah.

On Mon, Mar 14, 2022 at 8:05 AM, Cameron Roden
<croden@utah.gov> wrote:
John

I would love to say that we could come up with that information but our crash report does not list pets as a possible distraction contributing factor. 

Feel free to give me a call and we can take about if you have more questions. 

Thanks
Sgt Cameron Roden
Public Information Officer
3852902925 

Sent from my iPhone

On Mar 10, 2022, at 6:40 PM, John McMillan <mcmillanj@att.net> wrote:


March 10, 2022

Dear Utah DPS Sgt. Cameron Roden,

Thank you for your March 9 reply note (below) to me in which you mention that there is no law in Utah that prohibits a motorist from driving his motor vehicle with a pet dog on his lap.

I also appreciated your statement in your reply message that "As a department, we consistently spread the message for drivers to eliminate distractions in vehicle because of the crashes that we we see as a result.  I would be curious to see how many crashes are caused by this behavior."

Would it be helpful to you if I were to submit a public-information request to you that specifically seeks that factual information from the Utah DPS?

Best Wishes,
from former Texas Department of Public Safety full-time employee John Kevin McMillan of Salt Lake County, Utah.
My current post-office-box mailing address: P.O. Box 521622, Salt Lake City, UT 84152
My cell phone: (512) 993-7305.

John Kevin McMillan


On Wednesday, March 9, 2022, 01:45:01 PM MST, Cameron Roden <croden@utah.gov> wrote:


Mr. McMillan

Thank you for reach out to us with you question on wether it was legal to drive with a pet on your lap. 

In Utah, there is not a law that would prohibit a pet being on the lap of a driver.  However, the "Careless Driving" statute could come into play if the driver were to commit a driving offense while the pet was being a distraction. 

I will include the code below:

41-6a-1715.  Careless driving defined and prohibited.
(1)A person operating a motor vehicle is guilty of careless driving if the person:
(a)commits two or more moving traffic violations under this chapter in a series of acts within a single continuous period of driving covering three miles or less in total distance; or
(b)commits a moving traffic violation under this chapter other than a moving traffic violation under Part 6, Speed Restrictions, while being distracted by one or more activities taking place within the vehicle that are not related to the operation of a motor vehicle, including:
(i)searching for an item in the vehicle; or
(ii)attending to personal hygiene or grooming.
(2)A violation of this section is a class C misdemeanor.
(3)In addition to the penalty provided under this section or any other section, a judge may order the revocation of the convicted person's driver license if the violation causes or results in the death of another person in accordance with Subsection 53-3-218(7).

As a department, we consistently spread the message for drivers to eliminate distractions in vehicle because of the crashes that we we see as a result.  I would be curious to see how many crashes are caused by this behavior.  

Please let me know if you have any other questions.

Thanks
Sgt. Cameron Roden
Utah Department of Public Safety
Utah Highway Patrol - Public Information Officer
801.554.5659
Posted by John Kevin McMillan at 7:07 PM

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