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Driver distractions come in many forms. Some of them are four-legged. There are millions of dogs traveling in vehicles with their families every year. Pet safety restraints are now advocated by travel associations, safety advocates and are mandated by many law enforcement agencies. Even though pet travel safety restraint purchases are at an all-time high, according to PetInsurance.com, there are many that do not protect pets enough to make it safe for drivers and passengers. 

GoPetFriendly.com says, “…your 60-pound best friend basically becomes a 2,100-pound wrecking ball if you have a collision at just 35 miles per hour, and their momentum can injure anyone around. What’s worse is that the higher the speed or the heavier your dog, the worse the impact would be for them, for you and for your passengers.” 

WTHR in Indiana reported in November 2015, updated in February 2016, that many pet safety devices fail. There is even growing evidence that unsecured pets in vehicles represent significant dangers. These dangers affect not only the pet but also the driver, passengers, and other motorists. 

Tests show restraints and crates do not do what they are designed to do.

Harness Restraints – Subaru of America partnered with the Center for Pet Safety (CPS), a nonprofit research and advocacy organization dedicated to companion animal and consumer safety, in testing the crashworthiness of current dog car harness restraints on the market. In testing 29 different pet safety harnesses in 2013, CPS tests found that all but one of them failed to adequately restrain and protect a dog from sudden stops or impacts. The one which did pass was the Sleepypod Clickit Sport harness.

Travel Carriers – Pet travel carriers were tested in 2015 by Subaru and CPS. There were 8 brands of carriers tested, and only 2 successfully restrained the weighted test dog. Pet Ego Jet Set Forma Frame Carrier and Sleepypod Mobile Pet Bed were the two top-performing pet carriers.

Pet Crates – In 2015, the partnership conducted safety tests of pet crates in a crash situation. Four crates were tested, and only one was successful in restraining the weighted test dog. That one was the Gunner Kennels, G1 Intermediate crate.

Why are manufacturers being allowed to put faulty pet restraints on the market?

Even when pet car restraint manufacturers claim to have tested their products, there are no standards. This is unlike the children’s car seat industry which requires testing and rating by the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC). Since there are no laws setting the standards, manufacturers do not often change their standards. Should a pet owner know of a pet restraint product that does not do as advertised, the owner can report the product to the non-profit Center for Pet Safety.

Dangers of unrestrained pets.

Even though the exact number of accidents caused every year by dogs riding in vehicles are unknown, Paws to Click, whose mission is to inspire every pet owner to travel with pets responsibly, estimates the number to be about 30,000.

The American Automobile Association Foundation (AAA) reports that the likelihood of a crash increases due to driver distraction when pets are unrestrained. 

“Unrestrained pets, or pets in defective restraints, represent dangers to the traveling public. If you or a loved one is injured in a vehicle accident, contact Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A. for a free consultation,” said Naples Accident Attorney, Randall Spivey.

Naples Accident Attorney,, Randall L. Spivey is a Board Certified Trial Attorney – the highest recognition for competence bestowed by the Florida Bar and a distinction earned by just one (1%) percent of Florida attorneys. He has handled over 2,000 personal injury and wrongful death cases throughout Florida. For a free and confidential consultation to discuss your legal rights, contact the Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A., in Lee County at 239.337.7483 or toll free at 1.888.477.4839, or by email to Randall@SpiveyLaw.com. Visit SpiveyLaw.com for more information. You can contact Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A.in Charlotte County at 941.764.7748 and in Collier County 239.793.7748.