Dog Car Travel Safety
Dog car safety in 2026 by the one independent benchmark there is - which harnesses, crates and carriers are certified by the Center for Pet Safety, what its crate study found, and where a dog should ride.
AI illustration For dog car safety there is one independent benchmark worth knowing: certification by the Center for Pet Safety (CPS), a nonprofit that crash-tests pet travel products and publishes which ones pass. A CPS-certified harness on the back seat, a certified carrier for a small dog, or a certified crate anchored in the cargo area are the setups with a published test behind them. “Crash-tested” on a label, without that certification, tells you nothing about how the test went.
We have not crash-tested anything ourselves. Everything below about what passed comes from the CPS’s own list of certified products, read on 9 October 2026; check it again before you buy, because the list changes as products are tested.
Which setup suits your dog comes down largely to size, so check the weight ranges in our dog breed guides.
Why It Matters
In a crash an unrestrained dog keeps moving at the speed the car was travelling. That endangers the dog and everyone else in the car. A loose dog is also a distraction before any crash happens. Restraint deals with both.
What “Crash Tested” Means
A maker can print “crash tested” on a package without saying at what speed, with what size of test dog, or whether the product held. The CPS programme exists to fill that gap: by its own description, certified makers commit to meeting independently developed safety standards, to monitoring quality control, and to truth in marketing. When you see a crash-test claim, the useful question is “certified by whom, to what standard?”
Harnesses
At the time of writing the CPS lists the Sleepypod Clickit Range as certified with its top five-star rating, in sizes Small to X-Large, tested in November 2024, alongside the earlier Clickit Sport.
Sleepypod describes the design as a three-point harness for the rear seat that connects to any vehicle seatbelt. The CPS’s own entry for the harness is here.
A walking harness clipped to a seatbelt tether is not the same thing. It may keep a dog from climbing into the front, which has some value, but it has no crash-test result behind it.
Crates
For a large dog, a crate anchored in the cargo area is the other tested option. The CPS currently lists as certified:
- Gunner G1 Kennel - Small, Medium and Intermediate
- Lucky Duck Lucky Kennel - Medium, Intermediate and Large
- Cabela’s GunDog Kennel - Intermediate and Large
The background is the CPS’s 2015 crate study, run in partnership with Subaru of America, in which the Gunner G1 Intermediate was the top performer. Three findings from that study are worth more than any brand name:
- Anchoring matters as much as the crate. Strength-rated cargo straps clearly outperformed rubber straps and the webbing some makers supplied, which often failed.
- Wire crates are not crash protection. The study says they “should be considered as distraction prevention tools”.
- Doors fail. Many crates had door or lock failures on impact.
A plastic airline-style kennel is a common, cheaper choice for the car:
Be clear about what an uncertified crate does: it keeps the dog contained and out of the driver’s way. Nobody has published a crash result for it. More on choosing a crate for the house in our guide to dog crates.
Carriers for Small Dogs
For a small dog or a cat, the tested option is a carrier secured by the car’s seatbelt. The CPS list includes the Away Pet Carrier, three PawsInCar carriers and the Diggs Passenger carrier, and it has certified Sleepypod carriers as well.
Open-topped booster seats that hold a dog by a short tether are a different product. Unless a specific one appears on the CPS list, treat it as a way to give a small dog a view, not as a restraint.
Cargo Barriers
A barrier between the cargo area and the seats keeps a dog from being thrown forward into the passengers. It does not restrain the dog itself. It is better than nothing, and a tested crate or harness is better than a barrier.
Where the Dog Should Ride
Rear seat, in a certified harness - or a certified carrier belted in.
Cargo area, in an anchored crate - anchored to the car’s tie-down points with strength-rated straps.
Not the front passenger seat. Airbags are designed for adult humans. If a dog must ride in front, the airbag should be off, and the rear seat is still the better place.
Not loose in a pickup bed. If a dog has to travel there, it should be in a crate secured to the bed.
What Usually Goes Wrong
Trusting the label. Check the CPS list for the exact model and size.
Using a stretchy tether. A restraint is meant to hold; ask yourself what an elastic connector does in a sudden stop.
Crating without anchoring. A loose crate moves in a crash. The CPS study’s point about straps applies to every crate.
Treating habit as safety. A dog that has ridden on a lap for years has been lucky, not protected.
Head out of the window. Grit in the eyes is the routine risk; a dog that jumps or falls is the serious one. Open the window a crack instead.
What to Pack for Long Trips
- Water and a collapsible bowl (our water intake calculator helps you plan how much)
- A familiar blanket or bed
- Pickup bags
- A pet first aid kit
- A recent photo of the dog, in case it gets away at a stop
- Vaccination records if you are crossing state lines
Never leave a dog in a parked car in warm weather.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there government standards for dog car restraints?
Not in the way there are for child seats, which is why an independent certification is the thing to look for. Some states have laws that touch on animals loose in vehicles; check the rules where you drive.
What’s the safest position in the car?
A certified harness or belted carrier on the rear seat, or an anchored crate in the cargo area. The front seat with an active airbag is the one to avoid.
Can I use a regular walking harness with a seatbelt?
It may stop your dog roaming around the car. It has not been crash-tested, so do not count on it in a collision.
Are bungee tethers safer because they absorb impact?
There is no certified product of that kind on the CPS list. A fixed connection to the car’s seatbelt is how the certified harnesses work.
Should I disable the passenger airbag if my dog rides in front?
The better answer is not to put the dog in the front seat. If you must, switch the airbag off.
My dog gets carsick. Does that change anything?
A sick, restless dog is a distraction. Some dogs travel more calmly in a crate, and our pet behavior problem-solver covers building calm car associations. Ask your vet about anti-nausea medication for longer trips.
Final Word
There is one list to consult, and it is short. Check the Center for Pet Safety’s certified products for the exact model and size, fit it the way the maker shows, and anchor a crate properly. An hour spent learning to use a tested restraint is worth more than a weekend comparing untested ones.
Related Reading
- Dog Crates: Types, Sizes and Crate Training
- No-Pull Dog Harnesses: How They Work, Fitting and Training
- Pet-Friendly Hotels and Airlines: Complete Travel Guide Last updated: October 2026. Certified products were read on the Center for Pet Safety’s site on 9 October 2026.
