Dogs & Airbags

Some dogs love to ride in cars. No matter where you are going, they want to come along. Before taking your dog for a ride, it is important to know the risk a dog faces from airbags.

  1. Airbags

    • In cars, airbags deploy in an accident to protect you from injury. They inflate very quickly and are designed to provide protection to an adult sitting in one of the front seats of a vehicle.

    Danger

    • A dog that rides in the front seat of a vehicle can be injured or killed by an airbag that deploys during an accident. The airbag, designed for a much taller human, can strike the dog in the head or neck, killing it, according to "Safe Dog Handbook."

    Solutions

    • To protect a dog riding in the car, it is best to either keep the dog in a kennel in the back storage area of an SUV or restrain it with a dog harness in the backseat. Either will restrain the dog during a crash, and in the backseat the dog will not be in danger from the airbags.