Scary RTC

pippixox

Well-Known Member
Joined
9 April 2013
Messages
1,860
Visit site
So my husband is away with work in France and was in a RTC on a motorway on Sunday night. Thankfully he is fine, so is his dads dog who was free in the car (very lucky), and his dad dislocated his shoulder.
The pictures of the damage to the back of the car are freaking me out. He was in a hilux, but in my ford estate the damage would probably have been far worse. But do ‘crash tested’ dog crates really do much more than the carbumper crumple zone? (My dogs are lose in boot currently- with dog guard behind passenger seats)

If they do offer substantial more safety I will find the money for piece of mind frankly. If so please share best brands.
 

Attachments

  • 7ACFF62D-2566-48DD-8BB6-A05EE366224C.jpeg
    7ACFF62D-2566-48DD-8BB6-A05EE366224C.jpeg
    73.3 KB · Views: 89

Cinnamontoast

Fais pas chier!
Joined
6 July 2010
Messages
35,363
Visit site
Oh my goodness, I’m glad there aren’t more serious injuries, sounds like your OH was very fortunate.

I have no idea about the dog crate thing: is that the recommended thing? Bit of a pain if you swap cars as we often do. Is a dog guard considered sufficient? Haven’t got one of those either!
 

CorvusCorax

Justified & Ancient
Joined
15 January 2008
Messages
57,234
Location
Mu Mu Land
Visit site
Trans K9 have a good reputation.
In my current and last vehicle I have always kept good clearance between the tailgate and the crate/cage. I also now have a towbar ;) which has certainly saved my bacon a few times when reversing badly.

I wouldn't travel dogs loose in the boot personally (I used to), but plenty of people do, with no issue.
I used to live on a bad bend and have seen how much things can be thrown around and/or out of a vehicle even at low speed but can appreciate these things can happen and we are all limited by finance/capabilities/what we can fit in our vehicles.
 

Red-1

I used to be decisive, now I'm not so sure...
Joined
7 February 2013
Messages
17,814
Location
Outstanding in my field!
Visit site
I seem to recollect seeing a thread about restraining dogs on HHO, and as a result a member boght a harness, and only a few days later had an accident. To their horror the dog had his leg caught in the strap for the harness and broke it.

I guess a cage is safer, and I did see a contraption where dogs were held in an upright position literally attached to the seat by their backs, but it did not look very natural.

Until I saw the post I had my dog attached to the seat belt. Now he is loose, but lies quietly on a seat. If he did a lot of travelling I would get a proper crate.
 

Tiddlypom

Carries on creakily
Joined
17 July 2013
Messages
22,235
Location
In between the Midlands and the North
Visit site
How scary. Glad all were OK.

A crate would at least help to contain the dog in the vehicle after a crash, even if it doesn't provide crash protection. We used to travel dogs in the back behind a guard, but now they are always crated in the back (hatchback, estate, 4x4).
 

rabatsa

Far from the madding crowd
Joined
18 September 2007
Messages
11,964
Location
Yorkshire
Visit site
I have a Trans K9 crate in the back of my car. They have an escape hatch at the front in case the doors at the back cannot be opened for any reason after an accident.
 

D66

Well-Known Member
Joined
8 June 2010
Messages
9,334
Location
A very superior place.
Visit site
I usually travel our parsons jr in the front passenger footwell, on the basis that if there is an accident she won’t be thrown out the car or fly forward and hit me. But I think we are now supposed to have dogs restrained in the car.
Does anyone know chapter and verse?
 

Tiddlypom

Carries on creakily
Joined
17 July 2013
Messages
22,235
Location
In between the Midlands and the North
Visit site
You can be fined and get points for having a dog unrestrained in the body of the car.
Yes, and when I was roped in to transport a relative's unrestrained spoilt mutt (can't remember why), the bleddy thing wrapped itself around my feet and the pedals in town! Had to stop approaching a roundabout usng the handbrake! This was many years ago, so before this was illegal.
 

SadKen

Well-Known Member
Joined
3 September 2012
Messages
2,906
Location
North East Wales
Visit site
We travel ours loose in the back of our caddy van. I don't like it - I'd prefer a crate and I might use this thread to persuade OH who is so lazy and disinterested in safety that he won't wear a seatbelt himself ('I'll brace myself against the steering wheel' - have you ever heard anything so stupid) and won't bother putting a bed for the dog in the back unless we are going to be out for more than 15 minutes drive. I'd need a crate we can easily bolt down and remove though - and big enough for 2x full size GSDs...!
 

pippixox

Well-Known Member
Joined
9 April 2013
Messages
1,860
Visit site
I’ve been looking at safedog crates. Expensive. Look a bit lighter than k9. About 20kg so moveable between cars (out other vehicle is a camper van where they just lie in the middle, so they would not be by the back bumper but could go flying)
Problem is although I have a big boot, I sometimes need to wedge a double buggy in with the two dogs. Part of the reason I didn’t get a crate before.

Probably due to bracing on the steering wheel my husbands dads shoulder was dislocated in the crash and he will take a while to fully recover from muscle damage.

Yes the law is definitely they should be restrained in the car. Makes sense as very distracting to have dog on lap! (Father in laws dog always lose and was very very lucky to be unscathed as he moves all over the car)
 
Top