San Diego, California – The California-based BarkBuckleUP has teamed with Volvo to remind motorists of the need to keep pets properly restrained in a vehicle, both for their own safety and those of passengers and other motorists.

“While most people understand that buckling up saves lives, little thought is given to our pets,” said BarkBuckeUP founder Christina Selter. “In fact, less than two per cent of American pet parents actually utilize a pet restraint system. After an accident, first responders often have little time to access injured occupants, and pets pose a unique set of problems we never thought about.”

Selter said that in a 56 km/h collision, a dog weighing 27 kg can turn into approximately 1,224 kg of deadly force that can injure or kill interior occupants. “Another critical point is when first responders try to access a vehicle; the dog can become aggressive, overly protective, making entry difficult at best,” Selter said. “Or when the door opens, the pet can cause another accident by running into traffic.”

“Volvo believes this campaign to educate and inform consumers as to what can happen to pets after an accident will save lives,” said Daniel Johnston, Product Communications, Volvo Cars of North America. “This secondary, after the accident, issue makes perfect sense. We all understand the obvious danger unrestrained pets pose. We just never thought about what can happen after an accident. Our relationship is one of helping BarkBuckleUP get their message to people.”