Pet crash test images hold nothing back

Humans aren’t the only species with a need for speed; we’ve all probably smiled at the sight of a happy dog breezing by, head bobbing out a car window, tongue lolling out of its mouth.

Of course, just as we don’t put unsecured kids in the back of pickups any longer (do we?), we know it’s not really very safe to let canine pals have the run of the passenger cabin in a moving vehicle, no matter how much they like it.

The problem is, it’s beginning to seem that effective animal restraints are few and far between, despite the number of products on pet store shelves.

A few months ago many readers responded when I wrote about the disheartening results of an independent study on pet harness safety and efficacy; turned out that very few tie-downs really worked to keep animals secure even in relatively low-speed crashes. The video was horrifying and just to recap, here are some sobering stats from an oft-cited survey sponsored by AAA: An unrestrained 10-pound dog in a crash at 50 mph will exert roughly 500 pounds of force, while an unrestrained 80-pound dog in a crash at only 30 mph will exert approximately 2,400 pounds of force.

Now, the same organization is out with an equally discouraging report on pet totes and their frequent uselessness in a car crash. The nonprofit Center for Pet Safety, based in Reston, Virginia, teamed up with Subaru to put crates and carriers through the wringer in independent crash tests just like the ones human-sized mannequins endure.

The host facility is one that is used by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to test vehicle crashworthiness.

You can read the detailed report and view the videos for yourself at www.centerforpetsafety.org and they’re pretty scary. Specific information about brands and models of carriers are included if you want to scroll for any you use. In many cases, the results of these tests conflict drastically with manufacturers’ claims, some of which are quoted in the report.

In many cases, the “test simulant,” as the doggie dummies are euphemistically called, don’t fare too well even when they’re in the back seat, tucked into strapped-down carriers.

The dummies burst through the stitching of soft-sided bags, or were flung around inside hard crates that disengaged from connections. Comments by the experts are not ones you’d want to hear about a live animal: “Upon impact the test simulant launched out of the carrier.” “The rear end of the test dog protruded out of the crate.” “The crate was severely deformed on impact.” “The crate subsequently tumbled in free flight” — the latter with test dummy inside!

Wire crates produced particularly bad results, leading the researchers to note that they “should be considered as distraction prevention tools and will not provide significant protection in case of accident.”

Not all of the findings were grim. Some of the carriers retained their integrity and the center did name a top pick in the report. But watching the video should be a wake-up call to the large percentage of animal owners who allow their animals free reign inside a vehicle.

It’s hard to resist those pleading eyes. I feel mean enough when I latch my little guys into their backseat booster — a plastic storage tub filled with pillows and foam, the edges protected by swim noodles sliced lengthwise to grip the tote. A big-dog leash coupler looped over the rear headrest and clipped onto each small dog’s harness seemed like a robust tether in case of unexpected bumps.

Clearly not, after watching the crash tests. Having no wish to see my boys flashing toward the windshield, it might be time to go shopping for a crash-tested crate and stuff them inside for road trips, whether they appreciate the precaution or not. Better to be a strict pet owner than a sorry one.

Melissa Preddy is a Michigan-based freelance writer. Reach her via [email protected].