Danger of driving with dogs
DOGS love to go for car rides but driving with dogs can be very dangerous to both you and your dog. Injuries may range from minor to fractures and even death. There are some common dangers and causes of injuries that can be prevented, so keep yourself and your dog safe.
◗ Jumpers – Many dogs love to hang out windows and may do so safely for years but then one day - even though their owners would have sworn they would never do that – they jump.
◗ Air and eye injuries – A dog that hangs his head out of the car window can be injured by things that are flying in the air. Roads often contain debris, such as pieces of tar, stones, rubber and glass. A spinning tire can spit a piece of debris with the velocity to crack your windshield or damage your car’s body, so imagine the impact on your dog’s head or eyes.
◗ Airbags – Dogs can be fatally injured by airbags. Air bags are designed for the average-sized adult, sitting about 20 inches from the dashboard. A dog’s head is too low and may be much closer. The bags deploy at 320 kph in an accident and the force could injure or kill a dog if it hits him before fully inflating. (Incidentally, the same rule applies to children. The proper place for both is the back seat.)
◗ Distraction – Dogs distract drivers. The driver looks at the dog to see what he’s doing and … wham! Sitting on your lap or getting under the pedals, the dog can slow down your reaction time and ability to make quick turns.
◗ No seat belt - Pets riding unrestrained in a vehicle may be cute and fun – until an accident happens. Dog seatbelts and car seats harnesses are especially made to keep dogs safe in the back seat. All dogs should be restrained in the back seat during car rides. Frightened or injured after a crash, a dog may become a threat to rescuers who would be better able to handle the dog if it was harnessed.
◗ Microchip - or at least an ID tag on the dog collar so that a pet who gets free during a car ride or runs in far from the scene of an accident can be recovered.
◗ Windows - should be kept lowered so the dog can get air and enjoy the ride but cannot get his head completely out the window – thus preventing eye injuries and any risk of jumping or of a sideswipe by another car.
◗ Keep your dog in the cab - Allowing a dog to ride in the back of pickup trucks is always a bad idea. He may jump or lose his balance from a jolt or sudden stop and end up on the road - in front of an oncoming car. Don’t assume your dog is too smart to jump out! If he’s tethered you risk dragging him if he falls out.
◗ Projectiles - Unrestrained pets become forceful projectiles. If you crash at 45 kph your unrestrained 10-lb dog becomes a flying projectile exerting 300-pounds of force. At 80-kph, your dog will fly forward with 833-pounds of force. And at only 45-mph an 80-lb dog can hit passengers or the windshield with over a ton of force!
◗ And never leave your dog or any animal unattended in the car, even in cool weather - The sun can turn your car into a suffocating furnace in minutes even with the windows left open a crack. Dogs are unable to sweat and suffer overheating and death very quickly.