The PupSaver is a special car accessory designed to secure a small breed dog while in the car. This device can save Warminster dog owners from distraction while they drive and could even help prevent harm to the dog in the event of an accident.
How the PupSaver Works
Essentially, the PupSaver is a safety seat for dogs under 30 lbs. It works a little like a catcher’s glove and a little like a rear-facing child car seat. Using five points of contact, the device attaches to the car’s seat belt. There’s also a leash in the actual seat to connect the dog.
In an accident, the PupSaver will cushion the dog to prevent harm. The dog’s momentum goes into the soft cushion of the seat, while the car’s seat belt stops the entire device from moving forward into the front seats or dashboard.
PupSaver’s manufacturer has crash tested the product. With a 25 lb object simulating a dog, the device reduced the impact to the object in a 30 mph frontal crash. The crash test they used is almost identical to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 213, the standard that governs child car seats. MGA Research Corporation performed the test on the PupSaver car seat for dogs.
The PupSaver comes in multiple colors and patterns and is made from ballistic nylon material. You can purchase it online at www.pupsaver.com and only ships within the United States.
Legal Principles Affecting Dogs in Cars
The concept of negligence governs fault in all car accidents. Negligence generally means failing to provide reasonable care to prevent harm to others. If a driver is distracted because of a dog loose in the vehicle, and the driver subsequently gets into an accident, there’s a strong argument that the driver’s behavior was negligent because he or she failed to restrain the dog.
Devices like PupSaver may help keep the dog restrained in the vehicle and might protect the dog in the event of an accident. Before purchasing any puppy or dog car seat or restraint system, do your research to determine which product is best for your dog. The PupSaver, for example, is only designed for small breed dogs.
Pennsylvania is a modified comparative fault state with a 51 percent bar. This means that a driver needs to be 50 percent or less at fault in an accident in order to collect damages from the other motorist. If there was a dog in the vehicle, the other motorist may successfully argue the dog was a cause of the accident and bar any recovery for damages. Proving the dog was restrained, though, may challenge this allegation and allow the driver to collect damages in a liability claim. Of course, motorists can also collect from their medical benefits coverage on their own policies.
The law firm Cordisco & Saile LLC monitors emerging areas of the law as they relate to car accidents and safety and that are of interest to Warminster motorists. Follow our article library for more information about car safety and accident law.
