1 in 3 Dog Owners Face a Fine if They Don’t Restrain Their Dog in the Car, Study Says

Homeward Hound, a recent campaign launched by UK car leasing firm All Car Leasing revealed that a staggering 1 in 3 dog owners leave their dogs unrestrained while travelling in their car which could result in points on the license (it’s a UK thing), a fine and accepting all liability should an accident happen due to distraction caused by the canine.

The UK Highway Code Rule 57 states that “When in a vehicle make sure dogs or other animals are suitably restrained so they cannot distract you while you are driving or injure you, or themselves, if you stop quickly. A seat belt harness, pet carrier, dog cage or dog guard are ways of restraining animals in cars.”

Ronnie Lawson-Jones, Digital Marketing Manager at All Car Leasing added “We didn’t create this campaign to help with canine safety in mind but we’re really pleased we’ve been able to uncover this worrying statistic as we feel we can help dog owners become more safety aware and potentially save some canine lives”.

Do you drive with your dog in the car from time to time and leave them unrestrained? If you do, then we would recommend, along with All Car Leasing’s findings, purchasing a rear mesh guard in the back, a seat liner with an attached leash or a clip in leash that plugs in to the safety belt port to make sure you’re keeping your dog safe and yourself out of trouble.

These weren’t the only findings from All Car Leasing as they also surveyed where the dogs are placed in the car during a journey, what type of car dog owners tend to drive, what after market products they recommend as well as how many people just don’t let their dog in the car at all.

Why not check it out in the full infographic below…

Homeward Hound by All Car Leasing