Car safety goes to the dogs

The automaker press conferences at the Chicago Auto Show today ended not with a whimper, but a bark, as Volvo brought canine safety center stage. The Volvo-dog connection is natural. Our recent Brand Perceptions Survey found that among new-car shoppers, safety (63 percent) is the most important consideration. And the Swedish brand owns the safety category, according to this nationwide survey.

Pet safety group BarkBuckleUp had pooches on hand as they addressed the avoidable dangers of traveling with dogs. Some are obvious, others less so. Given that more than 67 percent of U.S. households own a pet, with 44.8 million having a dog, chances are you have or will at some time travel with a dog.

Dogs present a variety of risks, beyond drooling, shedding, and scratching the interior. Dogs can also distract a driver with their behavior or insufferable cuteness.

Among the most threatening risks is simply being unrestrained in an accident. In a BarkBuckleUp example, a 60-pound dog in a 30-mph collision can impact a car seat, windshield, or a passenger with 1,200-pounds of force.

Less obvious are some of the other risks. In a prior interview, BarkBuckleUp co-founder Christina Selter told of how emergency workers face dangers from a wounded or overly protective animal preventing, or at least challenging, their access to a crashed automobile to help its occupants. Think German Shepherd scared witless, staring down mortal threats, with sirens, flashing lights, and strangely dressed people approaching its family…not a welcoming scenario.

Tragically, Selter says she hears reports of when emergency team members open a vehicle door, only to have a frightened animal run into traffic, causing another accident.

Dogs are beloved family members in many households and can bring lots of joy. It’s hard to envision Fido at such risk, but clearly the threat is there. Pet harness restraints and cargo-section barriers are available that can help keep the whole family safe. If safety really is a top concern, investing in a harness or barrier seems like a small price to pay to make the whole family safer.

—Jeff Bartlett

Read our complete coverage of the 2008 Chicago Auto Show.

Comments

[DogManinAZ]

We've often taken numerous dogs on long-term trips for dog shows. The size and number of crates we took varied, but each was carefully tied down with the following story in mind; a handler friend of ours had a van full of dogs, probably 20 in various sizes and breeds, but all in crates carefully fixed to the inside of the van. Tired after a long show, he was turning around to complain to one of the dogs about its whining (a perpetual whiner, created or not, who just enjoyed whining) when the traffic stopped dead in front of him. Hitting the back of a semi at nearly full speed, he was pretty seriously injured. Not one dog suffered a single injury and when help arrived all were well contained and safe.

There are a variety of dog restraints out there, each with its advantages and disadvantages. While PETA still allows us to own pets, please use a restraint when transporting your pet! I've seen so many heads out windows, and dogs pacing free back and forth in the rear seat or rear compartment of an SUV, unrestrained, and it's a danger to them, to you and your family, and to other traffic. Thank you for your time.

[Stephanie Digby]

Cats need protection too! Remember, always use a cat carrier, and put a seat belt through the carrier's handle to strap it down. Of course, expect bitter complaints. Cats prefer safe areas where they feel protected; a smaller carrier is better than a large one where the cat is more likely to be thrown around. In this case giving them more space is not beneficial.

Rather liked the PETA comment.

[elizabeth]

To be honest, what is available out there in way of doggie safety belt harness is limited and/or not up to safety standards. Might work fine for a 15 pound puppy, but how about my 110 lb senior dog? Look at the little plastic buckles on most dog car harness models out there - no way would I trust them to hold that much weight at high impact -- so, I bought "The only crash-test certified dog restraint harnesses and seatbelts in the country" (google dog seat belts & they'll be in the top 10 results)- while I'm glad they exist, having only ONE option leaves much to be desired -- I've also thought about crates - however, I've heard that some crates doors can come open when hit, or that the plastic mechanism that attaches to the the seat belt can also break off - I'd be curious to see if any of them have been crash tested - none that I have found but maybe there is something out there? --- Just a thought...