Not All Crash Tested Dog Seat Belts and Crates Are Created Equal
When it comes to keeping dogs safe in cars, there are more products than ever claiming to be “crash tested.” But there’s very little publicly available data showing how those restraints actually perform in different accident scenarios.
So we ran our own testing — with instrumented crash test dummies, high-speed footage, and measurable force data — to better understand the real-world differences between crates, traditional harnesses, unrestrained dogs, and the Bark Belt system.
The result is a clearer picture of what each restraint is designed to do — and what trade-offs dog parents should know.
💡 Did you know
Bark Belt is the first organization to do a data backed crash test study against the top rated crash tested dog seat belts and crates
First, What Kind of Accidents Are Most Common?
Before comparing products, it’s important to look at real crash data. According to NHTSA statistics, the most common types of accidents involving passenger vehicles are:
Frontal collisions – 62%
Includes head-on crashes, angle collisions, and crashes with fixed objects. These are the most dangerous for dogs because of forward momentum.
Side impacts, rollovers, rear-end crashes – 37%
These scenarios bring different risks, such as the dog being thrown around the cabin, crushed by collapsing structure, or ejected from the vehicle.
Using our Custom Data Enabled Dog ATDs, We Tested All the Top Crash Tested Dog Restraints
To better understand how different pet restraints perform in real-world crashes, we conducted sled tests at Calspan using our custom, sensor-equipped canine ATDs (anthropomorphic test devices).
Each restraint was evaluated in a controlled 30 MPH frontal collision to measure forward movement, structural integrity, and the forces experienced by a dog’s body during impact.
By testing both our system and other commonly available restraints, we captured comparative data that highlights how different products address different risks — and where industry standards can evolve.
Side-by-Side: What the Data Tells Us
In our crash testing, we used a controlled sled at 30mph — the equivalent of falling from a 30-foot building — and measured how each system performed using custom dummies equipped with sensors in the head, chest, and spine.
What’s Right for Your Dog?
There’s no one-size-fits-all solution. Each system offers protection against different risks. What matters most is choosing a restraint that aligns with your driving conditions and the size and behavior of your dog.
For non-fatal frontal collisions:
Recommendation: Bark belt or harness, a pet restraint that arrests forward momentum and prevents secondary impacts.For rollover, side swipe, and rear-end collisions:
Recommendation: Crate, a pet restraint that keeps the dog contained in the cabin and prevents the dog from being crushed.For high-speed, fatal accidents:
No system or restraint can adequately prevent the immense forces from impacting your dog. The best way to protect your dog from these accidents is to not experience them at all.
Making an Informed Decision
Our goal with this testing wasn’t to claim that one solution is perfect — but to make the data more transparent, so dog parents can make informed choices.
Every restraint type has a role to play. But understanding what they’re built for — and how they perform under pressure — helps you choose what’s best for your dog, your vehicle, and your driving habits.
Because safety shouldn’t be assumed. It should be understood.
