Pet Restraints May Not Prevent Car Accident Injuries, But New Standards Could Improve Safety. – Article 605
Driving with pets in the car can be a distraction for motorists and it can be a risk for pets and people. Many pet owners who want to travel with their canine companions but who are serious about safety attempt to make the responsible choice and use a pet restraint to keep their dog secured in the vehicle as they drive. Unfortunately, new evidence indicates that many pet restraints fail to provide adequate protections.
People injured in a car accident can consult with a car accident lawyer in Seattle to obtain compensation for their own injuries and for the wrongful death of a family member. Pets, however, are treated as property and usually there is little or no compensation provided to cover the costs of their injuries or to compensate family members for the loss of a beloved pet who is killed in a car accident. Pet owners who wish to do everything possible to keep their animals safe deserve to have the information they need about pet car restraints, and new standards now may make this possible.
Pet Safety Restraints Aren’t Doing the Job
Manufacturers of pet safety restraints have long advertised their products as tested and as proven safe, yet these claims have had virtually no actual meaning up to this point and could not be substantiated. There are no uniform safety standards and no uniform test protocols in place in the United States for pet travel products, and thus the claims made by manufacturers were just based on whatever internal testing the companies decided to do on their own.
Subaru of America and the Centers for Pet Safety, however, have now taken the first step towards providing more protection for pet owners and their canine companions. Parade.com reports that Subaru and CPS enlisted an independent testing laboratory that is used by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to conduct crash tests. The lab, MGA Research Corporation, was asked to perform tests not just with people but also with pets.
Pet Restraints
