Tips on how to carry your pet safely in a car
Common sense tells us that cars can be dangerous places for our pets if they are not carried in a safe way, but did you know that if your pet is not deemed as being suitably restrained when travelling in a car then in the UK you could be breaking the law.
The Highway Code states: When in a vehicle make sure dogs or other animals are suitably restrained so they cannot distract you while you are driving or injure you, or themselves.
Restrain your pet while driving or risk a fine
The risk is a fine of up to £5,000 for ‘careless driving’ as well as the risk of an accident on the road.
Rachel Wait, at MoneySuperMarket, explains: “While driving with your pet in your car – whether in the boot or on a seat – might seem like a harmless way of getting from A to B, the truth is you can risk invalidating your car insurance.
“If you’re in a prang with an unrestrained pet in your car, insurers may use it against you – regardless of whether it was as a direct result of the animal itself – so it’s worth being on the safe side and making sure ‘man’s best friend’ is properly restrained.
And while breaking the Highway Code doesn’t carry a direct penalty, if you’re deemed to be distracted on the road, you can be fined £1,000 on the spot for ‘careless driving’. This carries a maximum fine of £5,000 and nine penalty points depending on the severity of it.
In extreme cases, the incident could also result in a driving ban and a compulsory re-test.
Ways to safely transport your pet in a car
The Highway Code recommend the use of a good quality harness, or a crate or guard, to keep your dog safe. There are many on the market so do your research first or ask your vet for advice.
The dog crate
Probably the safest and most comfortable way to carry your dog in a car and if you use a crate at home then you’re already one step ahead.
The benefit of a crate is that it gives the dog space to sit or lie down. Some crates allow more than one dog to travel at the same time which can be comforting for your pet. If an accident should occur, then a crate will stop your dog from being propelled around the car and injuring themselves or anyone else.
The dog car harness and seatbelt clip
If your dog already has a harness then you can buy a clip that attaches to a car seatbelt via the harness, so safely securing your dog. There are also models that attach to the car headrest via a harness.
Harnesses can also be purchased that include a seat belt tether.
It is recommended that dogs are clipped to a rear-seat seatbelt but if they are travelling in the front passenger seat then the passenger airbag will need to be disabled as this could seriously harm your dog in a crash.
There are many types of harnesses to fit all sizes of dogs and some have a useful grab handle to help manoeuvre your pet into position.
The pet carrier
Useful if you’re transporting cats or smaller breeds of dog and makes the transition from home to car much simpler as your pet can be ready to go in the carrier.
A carrier is not recommended for lengthy car journeys as your pet may not have much space to stretch out.
The boot guard
A boot guard simply fits between the back seat and the boot area of the vehicle and is primarily to stop your dog from being able to clamber over the back seats to disturb the driver.
You may wish to combine the boot guard with a crate or car dog harness so as to minimise injury to your pet if your car is involved in an accident. A good option is to divide the boot with a boot divider which splits the boot area in half so on the one hand keeping your dog more secure with less room to be thrown around and on the other enabling you to use the vacant half for luggage or shopping.
How does your pet safely travel in the car with you?
Melina - Assistant Editor
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