Pet Safety on the Road

I see it all the time… a driver holding a small dog in his or her lap while trying to manuever a vehicle down a busy street or on the open road. Invariably, the dog will move back and forth, and the driver will have to look around it on either side to try to watch the road. Unfortunately, I see this also with unrestrained small children.

An unsecured pet (or child) is a safety hazard that can have serious consequences — not only to itself but to other vehicle occupants and others on the road. Imagine if the driver holding that pet had to suddenly slam on the brakes or was in an accident. Where would the pet go? It doesn’t matter if the pet is in the front seat or the back, it becomes a deadly projectile. For example, an unsecured, 25-pound dog in a 40 mph crash becomes a 1,000-pound mass (half a ton) flying uncontrollably inside the vehicle. What if it hit another passenger? The windshield?

Life is precious, and situations like this can be avoided by securing pets (and children) when we travel. From dog car seats with a tether hook that attaches to the pet’s harness, to pet vehicle harnesses and carriers that are secured with a seat belt, pet product manufacturers are stepping up to provide better safety for our pets when we travel. We should take heed and do what we can to protect our precious cargo.

How do you protect your pets when you travel? Do you think it’s necessary to secure your pets in your RV?

Happy (and Safe) Pet Travels!

Tom James
PetTravelCenter.com