Unsecured pet in car endangers itself and others

Many Estonians transport their pets in cars, but often forget that animals should also be secured with safety equipment. An unsecured animal can suffer serious injury during sudden braking or a collision, and can become a hazard to other occupants in the vehicle. Gert Vatt, service manager at Mobire, emphasises that this seemingly innocent behaviour can have serious consequences.

In Estonia, transporting pets by car is a common practice, but from a road safety perspective, it often leaves much to be desired. Just as passengers and luggage must be properly secured in a vehicle, the same principle applies to four-legged companions.

Gert Vatt, service manager at Mobire, explained that while many drivers understand the importance of seatbelts and properly placed luggage, securing pets is often overlooked. "Drivers understand well why they and their passengers need to be secured with seatbelts or why luggage must be positioned so it doesn't shift during driving. However, less thought is given to securing one's pet in the vehicle. Unfortunately, it is not always recognised that an unsecured pet in a car can suffer serious injury during sudden braking or a collision, and can become a serious hazard to other occupants. This seemingly innocent behaviour can thus have severe consequences," said Vatt.

Why is an unsecured animal dangerous?

During sudden braking or an accident in a moving vehicle, an unsecured animal behaves according to the laws of physics like any other unsecured object, it continues forward at the same speed the car was travelling. This means that even a medium-sized dog can become a serious projectile that endangers both itself and other passengers.

Safe transport of a pet requires either a purpose-built transport crate, a special pet safety harness attachment, or a rear-seat partition barrier. The choice of suitable solution depends on the animal's size and the type of vehicle.