Properly Restraining your Pet in the Car Could Save their Lives & Others

 

Properly Restraining your Pet in the Car Could Save their Lives & Others

For years, Americans have been buckling up. The proper use
of lap/shoulder belts have been shown to reduce the risk of
fatal injury to front seat car occupant s by 45 percent,
while reducing the risk of moderate to critical injury by
50 percent. Further research has shown that unbelted rear
seat passengers increase the death rate of front seat
passengers by up to 5 times. We buckle up ourselves and
children to ensure all passengers safety, or do we? What
about our pets?

A pet that is not properly restrained in a vehicle is a
danger to itself and other passengers in the vehicle. Even
the best behaved pet travelers can get overly excited or
frightened while riding in a car. This behavior can easily
distract the driver, causing an accident. An unrestrained
pet can potentially become a flying projectile in the event
of a sudden stop or accident - a lethal danger to the pet
and other passengers in the vehicle. Unfortunately,
instances of pets being thrown through the windshield are
all too common in severe accidents.

The dangers are more likely than one may think. A vehicle
involved in an accident traveling at only 30 mph can cause
a 15 pound child to create an impact of 675 pounds.
Similarly, a 60 pound dog can cause an impact of 2700
pounds. Imagine the injury such an impact would cause for
the helpless pet as well as other passengers.

Responsible pet owners need to take heed of the dangers of
unrestrained pets. Many pet owners believe restraint is
not necessary for "around town" travel - the bank, the post
office, the pet store. However, this is when most
accidents occur.

Yet another important consideration is that in the event of
an accident, a frightened pet may run out into traffic
while rescue workers enter the vehicle to assist
passengers. Or it may attack those who are trying to help.
There are many pet restraint options available. Pet
safety belts, pet car seats (with built-in seat belts),
travel crates, and vehicle pet barriers are some excellent
options. Selecting the proper restraint option, best
suited for your pet is essential. Whatever method you
choose to properly restrain your pet in your vehicle, be
sure to give your pet ample time to adapt. For example,
if you choose a travel crate, place the crate in your home
and put some of your pets favorite toys or blanket it.
Allow your pet to go in and out of the crate at its
leisure. Eventually, put the crate in your vehicle and
place your pet in crate. Start out taking short car rides
and gradually increase the time until your pet is
comfortable. If you choose a pet safety belt, let your pet
wear the harness around the house. Allow them time to feel
comfortable in the harness prior to strapping them in the
car. Similar to the travel crate, start out with short car
rides and gradually build up. No matter what method of
restraint you utilize, back seat or cargo travel is the
safest.

In addition to safety, make your pet's comfort a priority.
Just as it's important for your "seat" to be comfortable
your pet's seat should be comfortable too.

Let's all do what's right for our pets. Pets are members
of the family and their safety is our responsibility.

About the Author:

Kim Salerno is the President & Founder of
TRIPSwithPETS.com. She founded the pet travel site in 2003
and is an expert in the field of pet travel. Kim is a
veteran of the travel industry - formerly serving as
Director of Internet Marketing for Certified Vacations. Her
mission is to ensure that pets are welcome, happy,and safe
in their travels. Visit her company website at
http://www.tripswithpets.com

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