The Hidden Dangers of Driving With Your Dog.
- phoebexmarker
- Feb 11
- 4 min read
Most of us wouldn’t dream of getting in the car without putting a seat belt on. Cars today are designed to protect us, with airbags, crumple zones, child car seats, and safety rules that are just part of everyday life.
But when it comes to dogs, the conversation often stops at, “oh, they’ve got a harness on.”
Claire Harris, founder of Pets2Places, is working to change that. She’s campaigning for properly crash-tested dog car harnesses backed by real evidence, not just marketing claims. Here’s what she had to say.
What made you realise there was a real gap in dog car safety, and why did you feel a crash-tested harness was needed?
Claire’s concern started with something she saw far too often, dogs travelling completely unsecured.
“I think I first noticed how much of an issue this was when I saw someone arrive at the vets having driven there with their chihuahua on their lap whilst driving!
It got me to thinking, if they were in a car accident, what would happen not just to the dog, which would obviously be catastrophic, but what would happen to the person? Would their ribs be injured? Permanent damage?
Also, it’s against the law to drive with a dog in your lap or even unrestrained. It can lead to 6 points on your licence and an unlimited fine.
But that’s where my curious mind started going into overdrive, because being restrained by some equipment is about as good as not being restrained.
There is so much about cars now that protect us, not just the seat belts but the airbags, crumple zones, children’s car seats. But what about dogs? Or cats?”
When you say “properly crash-tested,” what does that actually involve, and how is it different from the claims many pet products make?
This is where Claire believes many owners are being misled by clever wording and vague safety claims.
“Crash tested is the same as children’s car seats, a forward-facing 30mph crash test. I think a lot of products use clever marketing like ‘safety tested’, but it’s not actually crash tested. Also, there’s some question about if what’s listed as crash tested is actually crash tested in real-life crash test centres, or if it’s simulated crash tested. I think that’s the misconception by most dog owners. They assume what they are buying is fit for purpose, but it may well not be.”
What would you like dog owners to understand about travelling with dogs in cars, especially those who assume a standard harness is enough?
“It’s understanding about the equipment they are using. If it isn’t crash tested, why would they assume it’s safe when their entire car has been built to save them in a crash?
Have they thought about the damage their dog could do to them in an accident? Especially if they have kids in the car at the same time as the dog.
My role is to get people to think about how they currently transport their dogs. Is the equipment the right equipment? Is there something better that would be safer because it’s crash tested?”
What stage is the project at right now, and what will this early support help you achieve in terms of testing and development?
“Right now we are ready to start designing, having already done some consumer research alongside my own hands-on experience of testing different products.
I have a product designer and engineer on board, as well as Cranfield crash test centre.
The money from the GoFundMe will help us get the designs and crash testing done ready for manufacture, where we can roll out a Kickstarter to fund the manufacture.”
If pet owners take one thing away from this, what is the most important message about evidence-based safety and protecting dogs on the road?
Her message to owners is simple: ask for evidence, not just reassurance.
“Whilst little research has been done in the UK, the US are miles ahead and the Centre for Pet Safety has lots of evidence on the subject of pet transport. Really question if something is safe. If that’s what product manufacturers are saying, what evidence are they backing up these claims with? Anything that is claiming to be crash tested should have a certificate and video evidence to prove it. If you’re protected by your seat belt and air bag, what’s protecting your dog?”
Claire is also campaigning for a change in the law on how pets are transported, to be in line with the laws on seat belts and children’s car seats.
Driving with a dog shouldn’t be a gamble. Just as we buckle ourselves and children in, our pets deserve the same level of protection. Claire’s project is a step towards making real, evidence-based safety for dogs the standard, not the exception.
Even small changes in how we travel with our dogs can make a life-saving difference.
Follow along with Claire’s journey and support the campaign to help protect pets and people:
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