Are dogs safer in boot or back seat?
Vita Adams
2025-08-11 21:49:09
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: 20
Dogs can be dangerous for dogs if care and common sense are not applied.
The Highway Code states motorists need to be suitably restrained while travelling in the car.
Use a good quality harness, or a crate or guard, to keep your dog safe.
Although there is no specific law stating that dogs must wear seat belts or harnesses while in a vehicle, it is advised to use a proper harness or dog seat belt attachment to secure your animal and prevent it from moving around the car.
The code also advises against allowing dogs to travel in the front passenger seat, especially if the car has a passenger airbag.
If your dog is secured in a harness in the front seat, be sure to move the seat as far back as possible and switch off the passenger-side airbag as it may do more harm than good if you have an accident.
There are no specific sentences that compare directly the safety of the boot and the back seat for dogs.
Nelda Windler
2025-07-31 03:33:23
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You may be wondering, where is best for your dog to be when travelling in the car? Well, the general advice is that the backseat is the safest, since this is away from the crumple zones (front and back) of the car, which absorb most of the impact in an accident. Of course, while this is feasible for small to medium dogs, it’s not very convenient for larger dogs – especially if you have a smaller car. In such a case, then it is okay to put your dog in the boot, though you will still need to ensure that they’re secured appropriately. Either way, having your dog in the front with you is definitely a no-go. If you’re keeping your dog on the back seat, then the best form of restraint to use is a harness. When your dog is travelling in the boot, then a crate would be more suitable. The crate itself will need to be secured within your boot and must be large enough for your dog to comfortably sit, lie down and turn around in, but not so large that they could be thrown around and risk injury in the event of an accident. If a crate is not possible, then you will at least need a dog guard between the back seats and the boot.
Aracely Beahan
2025-07-31 00:30:14
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: 15
The Highway Code clearly advises that dogs travelling in your car must be suitably restrained so they cannot distract you while you are driving or injure you, or themselves, if you stop quickly. The best way to do this is by using a harness that plugs into a seatbelt port, a suitable travel crate, or a dog guard between the boot and the last passenger row. Your dog must never travel in the front passenger seat as this may be a distraction to you, the driver, and could very seriously injure your dog in the event of the airbags being activated. A suitable travel crate can be tethered on the back seat or fitted to the boot of the car.
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