Vehicles and Pets: Traveling Safely

Heather L. Lee
Aug 6
3 min read

Some drivers consider their pet one of the most adorable accessories for a car. Having your four-legged pal along for the ride can be fun, but it comes with its own set of problems.

First of all, do you really need to take your pet with you? Vet visit? Definitely. Trip to the grocery store. Probably not.

Orange and white cat sitting close to and looking at a black and white dog

There are lots of dangers to consider when driving and pets can make these worse.

Show Some Restraint

Just as you should be wearing your seatbelt, your pet should be safely restrained. Wandering paws can cause major distractions, obstruct your vision, and even jump down under your feet and impede your ability to hit the brakes.

An unrestrained pet is at risk for serious injury by airbags or debris and can be thrown from the vehicle during a collision.

A crate or carrier with hard sides is best. It should be well-ventilated. Make sure there is plenty of room for your pet to stand, turn around, and get comfortable. Try to place the carrier in the middle of the vehicle (usually the backseat) for best protection in case of an accident. Secure the carrier in place with seatbelt or other fastener.
Restraining devices, such as harnesses, can keep your pet in the backseat. These are usually for dogs only. Be sure the harness you choose is crash tested and works with the car’s seatbelt. Regular walking harnesses are not enough in this situation.
It is never recommended to travel with a pet in the bed of a truck. But if you have no other choice, use a hard sided carrier and fasten it securely near the cab.

Beat the Heat

Every spring, heat warnings start to rear their heads. You should never leave a pet (or any other living thing) in a car unattended. Even if the outside temperature feels comfortable, heat can quickly become dangerous in a vehicle. Check out the chart below for estimated temperature rise times.

Table from https://www.noheatstroke.org/vehicle-heating

It’s important to note that cracked windows have very limited effect on cooling down a car.

The biggest impact on temperature was probably the color of the vehicle’s interior, darker being more dangerous.

Shady spots don’t have much effect on keeping a car’s interior cool and as the sun moves, your nice shady spot could disappear.

Many states have laws protecting animals left in cars, including New York.

NY Agri. & Mkts. § 353-d: Police, peace officer, or peace officer acting as agent of humane society may take necessary steps to remove animal from vehicle.
Necessary steps could be breaking your car window or other forcible entry.

So, just don’t leave pets in the car. Even for “just a minute”. They deserve better than that.

Heads In, Windows Up

Brown dog resting head on open car window

Dogs (and some humans) love hanging their heads out the window, ears flapping in the breeze. Unfortunately, there are many flying insects, dirt, and debris that can injure that happy face. Dogs can also fly out of the window during a turn or jump out during a stop if something interesting catches their eye. Keep those windows closed to keep them safe.

It is ideal to start training your pet on car rides early on. The more comfortable they are with traveling by car, the less distracted you will be by barking and caterwauling.

Taking a bit of extra time to ensure that your pet is safe during necessary car trips will give you and them some much needed peace of mind.