According to the DGT, when traveling with your pet inside the car you must place a separator to keep your pet from distracting you and disturb you when you are driving. According to traffic data, more than half of the drivers experience risky situations due to the fact that animals are not properly restrained in their vehicles.
Traffic also reminds us that your animal must travel identified with their pertinent documents: census plate from the city council, health card with the corresponding vaccinations, civil liability insurance in the case of dogs classified as potentially dangerous, mandatory identification chip and the administrative license in case it is necessary.
Tips to improve our safety and that of our pets when traveling by car
Despite the fact that half of the owners of an animal are not aware of the rules for its transport as stated in the RACE study on the role of accompanying persons when drivingHowever, there is a large majority (91%) that considers it dangerous, both for the animal and for passengers, to carry the pet without protection.
Different restraint systems are available on the market to make car travel safer for both occupants and animals. Traveling with dogs or cats is the most common, but there are also other types of pets such as rodents or birds.
The harnesses with double hitch to the seat belt The vehicle's restraint system is the most recommended system for restraining dogs.The harness with a single hitch is much more fragile because the carabiner can break with a dog weighing 20 kg or more. Leashes that attach to the animal's collar are also not recommended for several reasons: they do not hold in case of collision, can cause serious injuries to the animal's neck and allow free movements of the pet that can interfere with driving.
Which car seat should pets ride in?
The safest place for your pet to travel is behind the back of the front seats and always in a carrier.
Can I take my dog in the trunk? In the case of large dogs that do not fit behind the front seat, it is advisable to carry them in the trunk using dividing grids so that the space in the passenger compartment is completely separated from the trunk. To prevent the animal from moving around the cargo space and destabilizing the vehicle, it is safest to combine the dividing grid with a carrier adapted to the size of the dog.
Restraint systems for dogs, cats and other pets when traveling by car
An animal loose in the car is dangerous because:
- Increases driver distraction.
- It can interfere with driving by climbing on top of the driver or affecting mechanical systems (pedals, gearshift, etc.).
- It poses a risk to other road users, as in the case of a dog with its head sticking out of the window, due to the risk of falling.
- It can cause very serious or even fatal injuries to other occupants in the event of braking or impact.
You have already seen why it is dangerous to travel with your pet loose in the car. To avoid this situation, you should choose a restraint system that has proven its effectiveness through crash tests or is approved by European standards, e.g. ECE R17 or DIN 75410-2. There are different types of animal restraint systems depending on the size or weight of the animal:
Safety harness for dogs:
Recommended especially for dogs. They hold pets by means of seat belts (take into account their length) or Isofix devices. Straps that attach to the dog's collar do not hold the animal and pose a risk to passengers.
Dividing grid
Allows to enable the trunk for the transport of large animals in vehicles with tailgate or family vehicles. The stability of both the seat backrests and the mounting of the rack must be taken into account. The safest and most recommended are those that are mounted from the roof of the vehicle to the floor of the trunk and that comply with DIN 75410 standards.
Carrier
This is one of the safest methods. If you place it in the trunk (for large dogs), it should be placed as close as possible to the backrest and in a transverse position with respect to the direction of travel. For small pets, carriers should be placed inside the passenger compartment, on the floor behind the front seats. Never on the seat fastened by a seat belt, as tests have shown that the crate breaks and the pet is ejected through the wall of the carrier.
