This is exactly the same argument that people used for why they didn't wear seat belts. Think of this. If your car catches fire, unless you've taught your dog to roll down the window or unlock the door. It's going to burn anyway. You're in the car with the dog. You can unbuckle the dog the same way you would unbuckle a restrained child. I know you're not advocating leaving a child unbuckled in the car because you're worried that they might burn to death in an accident.

So you don't wear your seatbelt right? Because if your car catches on fire and you can't unbuckle it you will burn alive. There is a reason why seatbelts are obligated, regardless of the possibility to get trapped by a seatbelt. Namely that without a seatbelt, your chances at survival are so minimal that it doesn't matter that you might get trapped in the car because of the seatbelt, you will probably be death anyway.

I really don't understand why this got thumbed down. I know how it is to drive in a car with both dogs and cats. I was practically living out of my car with them at one point. My dogs are extremely well behaved, sit/lay in the back, and have never nor will ever be harnessed in. I can understand it with hyper dogs or while training them, but if you trust your dog and don't drive like an idiot (which from the sounds of it, many of you do) then there won't be a problem. 10+ years of driving experience and never once been in an accident nor gotten a ticket.

Thank you. My first instinct upon a dog getting into my lap whilst driving? Pull over and then deal with it. And my point apparently came out wrong. Of which was, if I am getting in a wreck to do enough damage to hurt or kill me or my dog, windows are broken. The dog could then climb out. I am going to be worrying about me, so my last instinct in that case would not be to unharness my dog, but myself.

#83, your unrestrained dog becomes a flying object in a crash. A flying object that can hurt you/other passengers, even decapitate you/them. Not to mention be hurt or killed because the dog flew into something. Even if the dog survives, with a broken window, dogs are known to run out of crashed cars due to fear, which can get them hit by another vehicle or injured in some other way or lost. There is no reason not to restrain your dog in a car (sticking its head out the window is dangerous), but so many reasons to restrain your dog. You love your dog and want it to be happy and healthy, right?

#80, the best drivers can get in crashes at the fault of bad drivers, drunk drivers, someone (best driver or another driver) having a sudden medical crisis like a heart attack at the wheel, momentary distractions, tiredness, a mistake, malfunctioning vehicle, etc. Being a good driver doesn't prevent you from being in a crash.

Doesn't sound like it was your fault to me. The law can be an ass sometimes.

It's because I should've stayed in my lane, snow or no snow. I didn't get a ticket or anything, it was just my insurance that had to pay for things, but it didn't cover anything for pets.

Crash-tested safety belts for dogs are safer than crates, which can break in a crash from the forceful impact of the dog hitting it and which can become a dangerous flying object for the driver and other passengers (the force of it could cause great injuries or death).

So, like an idiot, you continue not to restrain your animal?

Just to clarify what I am sure this poster meant, you need to buy a car safety harness, not a leash, and you should never use a leash attached to a dog's neck collar for restraining it in the car. Also, look for a tested vehicle safety harness, not just a vehicle restraint harness, which may not be strong enough to fare a crash.