DOG owners are being warned to turn off the passenger airbags if they allow their prized pooches to ride in the front of their cars.
The alert came after Pet Food Manufacturers’ Association data showed more than 3.2million households brought a four-legged friend into their lives during the Covid crisis.
Huge numbers of drivers have also had to “pup-size” their cars – buying bigger vehicles to transport their new canine companions.
Many of these pets and their owners will be taking their first real car journeys as lockdown restrictions lift. But failing to disable the passenger airbag could seriously injure or kill any dog riding shotgun if you crash, says Select Car Leasing.
The firm’s Mark Tongue explained: “You should only ever have your dog by your side while driving if you can disable the front passenger airbag.
“An airbag is designed to protect a human, not a canine, and the cushioning is simply in the wrong place. An airbag deploys with so much force it could even crush a dog cage.”
Meanwhile, a study by online automotive marketplace CarGurus revealed 35 per cent of new dog owners needed to buy a larger, more practical car.
To help, there’s a new CarGurus Pupgrader tool that suggests the right vehicle based on the size of dog (fully grown) and family needs.
It was created after 27 per cent of dog owners admitted they should have thought more about the car they owned when getting their pet – with this number increasing to 61 per cent among new “lockdown dog owners”.
CarGurus deputy editor Ivan Aistrop said: “We’re a nation of animal lovers, so helping people to know what to look for in a pet-friendly car is vital.”
