Take a moment to think about the last time you drove around with your dog in the car. Did you have your dog restrained, or were you constantly reaching back to pet them, messing with the windows, or even allowing your dog to sit on your lap? An overwhelming 84% of dog owners drive with their pets unrestrained. Regardless of how short the ride is, you’re not just putting your unsecured pets at risk, but you’re also endangering yourself and other drivers. If you’re allowing your dog to roam freely in the car, it may be time to reconsider how you travel with your dog.
Distracted Driving:
Sure, we all have our own innocent reasons for giving our dogs some freedom in the car. Maybe you just want your pups to enjoy the ride by letting them stick their heads out the window to feel the breeze, or you may feel bad if they’re not sitting next to you in the front seat. Well, guess what? A jaw-dropping 60% of dog owners admit to distracted driving caused by unrestrained dogs in the car.
Looking away for just two seconds doubles your risk of being involved in an accident, which is one of the frightening realities of driving. Years of comprehensive research have proven that child restraints in vehicles are effective in saving lives, resulting in strongly enforced child safety belt laws. The same reasons for child restraints are interchangeable for your beloved dog child’s safety.
Whether it’s a Chihuahua or a 160-pound Great Dane, anything unrestrained will become a projectile with a force up to 40 times its weight. According to a study by AAA, “even for smaller pets traveling at just 30 miles per hour, an unrestrained 10 pound dog will exert 300 pounds of pressure in an accident,” which is potentially a lethal blow for both passenger and pet. Presently, there are several reliable forms of pet restraints, including pet harnesses, safety belts, vehicle pet barriers and aluminum dog crates.
A Real Life Situation:
Our Impact Dog Crates team is grateful for the fact that dog owners all over the world can trust in our crates for durability, and have peace-of-mind knowing their dogs are safe, especially while traveling. Not long ago, we received a product testimonial from an owner of an Impact Dog Crate. He described a terrifying situation, which put into perspective how important a hard-sided dog crate, or any pet restraint for that matter, can be in a collision. Here is his heartfelt testimonial:
“Hello I just wanted to write you guys and first off thank you for your great crates! My wife was driving and was T-boned at approximately 50-60 mph while she was crossing an intersection. Our lab was in the crate in the back of the truck, straps were ripped and he and the crate were thrown and tumbled approximately 40-50 feet. To make a long story short, if not for having your crate, the vet said our dog would not have survived the crash. The crate absorbed a lot of the impact and saved our dog’s life… Yes, Chase has some injuries, but very minor considering the carnage of the crate and the crash.”
We take pride in the safety of our aluminum Impact Dog Crates and grateful that our product ultimately saved this dog’s life.
You Decide:
In the end, are you really doing your dogs a favor by giving them a little freedom in the car? Maybe it's time to reevaluate your laid-back approach to traveling with your pet. Regardless of the restraint style you choose for your beloved dogs, be sure it is used properly. Securing your dogs can saves their lives, and your own.
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