Best Way to Restrain a Dog in Your Car for Safety
Driving down the road on any given day, it is not uncommon to see dogs hanging their heads out of car windows, bouncing around freely in cars, and sometimes even on drivers' laps. It doesn't take much common sense to know that these are not safe situations, but many dogs ride in the car unrestrained. Why? Many people feel their dogs become stressed out if restrained. Others feel that their dogs enjoy the car ride, because they can do things such as hanging their heads out the window. Regardless of how happy these things make the dog, they are undeniably dangerous. Here's why:
A loose dog can easily distract the driver.An unrestrained dog can block or move the steering wheel, gear shift, and gas/brake pedals.A loose dog can be injured or killed by an airbag.When hanging its head out of a car window, debris from the road can injure a dog's eyes, nose, and mouth.In the case of an accident or even stopping short, your dog can become a dangerous projectile. This not only poses a risk to your dog; it is a risk to you, other people in the car, other drivers, and even pedestrians.
In the case of an accident, a loose dog can become a threat to emergency workers trying to rescue you from a damaged car. Or, your dog could escape and become lost.
Do your dog, yourself and everyone else a favor and restrain it. Also, do not allow your dog to travel in the front seat, even if restrained. Keeping your dog restrained and in the back will decrease the likelihood of a distraction-related accident and keep your dog safer in a crash. However, car travel for restrained dogs is not without risk. It is most dangerous to travel with no restraint at all. Your best bet is to find the right restraint for your dog and increase his odds of survival in a car crash. And, most importantly of all, drive safely!
A crate or kennel is one of the safer ways for your dog to travel, provided the crate is very sturdy and secured in place. If you have an SUV or similar vehicle, you may wish to place the crate in the cargo area of the vehicle. Just be sure to find out if this is the crumple zone in your car. If so, the cargo area may be the worst place for your dog.
A small or medium crate will typically fit in the back seat of most vehicles. Look for straps or harnesses that will keep the crate secured, or find a crate made to have a seat belt strapped to it. Otherwise, you can end up with a deadly projectile in the case of an accident. Also keep in mind that, if an accident does happen, your dog will be thrown against the walls of the crate upon impact, so injuries may still occur.
