The Problem
This is a minefield, sadly there is no standard when it comes to testing and no truly independent testing either although Kettering University in The States has done some testing.
But there are other flaws as well
No anthropomorphic dogs like dummies - weighted dogs don’t behave the same as a real dog.
Dogs come in all shapes and sizes
No testing to my knowledge of anything related to a dummy dog in a crate to see how a dog would physically cope in the event of a crash.
Cars come in all shapes and sizes and although some excellent testing has been done on crates when you delve deeper you find they are only done one type of car and these have been vehicles known for their great structural integrity so the question has to be asked would a less sturdy car ensure the same results with the crate
Crates generally are for owners to fit themselves….. This could affect the integrity of the crate in a crash if not fitted entirely correctly a small change in how tight a bolt or a strap is could have devastating consequences
Harnesses - tested at apx 30mph where you can argue the likelihood of a serious injury would not be as great as at higher speeds but it depends on mechanism of the crash, crates have generally only been tested at 40 or 50mph
Any harness is only as good as its weakest link - generally the clips
Bespoke crates - popular in dog sports and designed to keep your dog safe at an event and whilst travelling but do they stand up to in a crash? Most haven’t been truly investigated in that manner - also the effect of crates bolted to the structure of a van may affect the integrity of the vehicle in places designed to absorb impact meaning it is transferred elsewhere and to what effect.
Your dog needs to be secure when travelling so that they won’t impede on your driving (plus it is the law) and safe in the event of a crash. Either using a crash tested and passed harness or crash tested and passed crate that secures to the structure is vital and I cannot stress this enough.
The Don’ts
Don't let your dog stick their head out of the window - aside from being distracting to other drivers it is dangerous due to debris that can get in their faces particularly their eyes.
Ideally not in the front seat - due to airbags as on a crash these could seriously injure your dog. One of mine does travel in the front - due to his dislike of travelling but as it is a van it is minus passenger airbags. If you have serious problems - speak to your vet - or chat to me for some holistic remedies.
OK so CRASH SAFETY - a partition is not enough it may prevent forward motion of the dog but not all crashes are forward, vehicles spin etc and dogs can and do become ejected through windows and suffer devastating injuries as a result. As an A&E doctor I have seen many impact injuries in humans from relatively small impacts. Also doors and windows get damaged and a scared dog will run and if they don't they may run when emergency personnel attend the scene. Don't think oh my dog would never run off because a scared dog will not behave as you predict.
No soft crates - they will not withstand impact and quite frankly if in the boot of the car - could easily become squished (the dog as well as the crate)
Harnesses - what to look for
Y shaped
Ideally with no fasteners
Strap located close to the harness for the seatbelt to go through
Does not cross the shoulder joints
Won’t chafe
D ring to attach a lead
Crates - what to look for
No soft
Not collapsible
Exit hatch
Crash testing at speed and in a variety of different collisions
Fixed into the vehicle by people who know the products rather than a DIY
Right size crate for your dog - too big is too risky
Crash Evacuation
In the event of something happening even a break down- how quickly can you get your dogs out of your vehicle - safely and securely? Accidents happen when cars are pulled over on the hard shoulder too and if there is a vehicle fire speed really is of the essence.
So with things heading towards normal - travelling starts up again and I for one am really looking forward to getting back to my campervan adventures.
Being safe when you travel is vital - vehicle safe and crash safe.
For more about this topic watch my YouTube Video which covers this in more detail
- prior to becoming a doctor I gained a BEng in Aerospace Engineering and I have a Masters in Impact and Explosion Engineering so please believe me when I say I know this stuff.