Got pets? They can cause unsafe driving, Volvo study shows

LETTING pets roam unrestrained inside the car leads to “significantly more unsafe driving behaviors,” a new study made by Volvo Car USA and The Harris Poll revealed. The move also results in more distraction and increased stress levels for both drivers and their four-legged friends.

“Volvo Reports: Keeping Pets Safe on the Road” is highlighted by an observational study on how pet restraints affect the driving experience.

Volvo and The Harris Poll followed 15 drivers and their dogs for more than 30 hours on the road to examine how driving with an unrestrained pet affected driving behavior versus when an owner used restraints, like pet seatbelts, harnesses, crates and carriers.

The study showed that when pets are allowed to roam freely in the car:

• Unsafe driving behaviors more than doubled, or 649 instances while unrestrained against 274 while restrained
• Time drivers were distracted more than doubled, or three hours and 39 minutes unrestrained versus one hour, 39 minutes when restrained
• Stress on both drivers and pups increased
• Heart rates were likely to increase for people and pets
• Unrestrained dogs measured a heart rate seven beats per minute faster
• Drivers felt calmer when dogs were buckled in, with heart rates dropping as much as 28 to 34 beats per minute

Volvo Cars said it leads in developing safety accessories for pets that directly tie into the safety system of the car. These accessories include a dog harness, load compartment divider, dog gate and protective steel grille.

Volvo Reports: Keeping Pets Safe on the Road is the latest in a series of Volvo Reports from Volvo Car USA and The Harris Poll that is designed to uncover insights into public opinion on four core themes: design, safety, technology and environment.