Car Safety - how to stop your dog becoming a baby elephant

Posted by Clare Bristow

dog-looking-out-of-window I read in the news this week that a dog caused an SUV to roll.

Apparently the dog was loose in the car and knocked his owner's elbow causing her to swerve, and the car rolled twice as she tried to correct the swerve.

Letting your dog travel in a car unrestrained is not the behavior of a responsible dog owner.

When will people learn?
Loose dogs in a car = a danger to themselves, others in the car and all other road users.

If you have a small dog lying on the rear passenger shelf and need to brake suddenly, your dog becomes a lethal missile - in a 30 mph collision your dog will exert a force 20 times his body weight.

Being hit by a larger dog, such as a Labrador, that has been propelled from the back of the car is similar to being hit by a baby elephant - a sobering thought.

I can't remember the statistics, but tests in the UK showed that most front seat passengers would have survived a car crash had they not been hit by rear seat passengers thrown forward because they weren't wearing seat belts.

Here are some tips for keeping your dog - and you - safe in the car:

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