VOLVO REPORTS:

KEEPING PETS SAFE ON THE ROAD

 INTR OD UC TION

Since 2018, Volvo Car USA and The Harris Poll have partnered to better
understand American opinion across four key pillars: safety, design,
technology and environment. These insights serve as the backbone for
Volvo’s ongoing Volvo Reports series.
Last year, the inaugural Volvo Report explored the unique relationship
between Americans, their pets and their cars. The study found that pet
parents are going further than ever to pamper their furry friends and are
hungry for the knowledge to keep them safe on the road.
This year’s report is highlighted by a new observational study that
examined how unrestrained pets impact the driving experience, with
evidence linking roaming pets with increased stress, heart rates and
unsafe behaviors. The study also dives further into the pet pampering
phenomenon and examines pets’ role as our preferred traveling
companions. With pets treated as family members now more than ever,
it’s essential we help drivers keep them safe on the road.
We encourage you to use these statistics freely, properly sourcing Volvo
Car USA/The Harris Poll. If you have any questions regarding these
findings, or would like to delve deeper into how Volvo is protecting all
passengers in the event of an accident, please reach out to Jim Nichols at
jim.nichols@volvocars.com.

ME THODOLOGY
This survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris
Poll on behalf of Volvo from March 23-29, 2019, among 2,000 adults
ages 18 and older, including 1,433 pet owners. This online survey is not
based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical
sampling error can be calculated. A follow-up observational study
comprised of a diverse convenience sample was conducted from June
26 – July 22, 2019, among 15 licensed drivers that drive with their dog
for a minimum of 25 minutes per day. The drivers were analyzed for a
total of 30 hours, an average of approximately two hours per driver.
 A M E RICANS ARE C RAV ING COMPA NIONSH I P
ON T HE ROAD, BU T A NXIOUS A B OUT PET SA FET Y

For many Americans, pets are the preferred travel companion. their vehicle is safe for their dog in the case of an accident
Half of millennials say they would rather go on a road trip with (63%), down 3% from last year.
their dog than with their family, as would 39% of pet owners
Dog safety gear also remains highly underutilized, as 69% of
overall. Four in ten millennials would rather go on a weekend
pet owners say they drive with their dog unrestrained in the
getaway with their dog than with their partner, as would 28%
vehicle. More than half of pet owners say they let their dog put
of pet owners overall.
their head out of the window while driving (58%), while seven in
More than half of millennials also say they drive with their ten say they sometimes let their dog ride in the front seat (70%).
pet to reduce anxiety (52%), and many are looking for
ways to make the experience of transporting their furry
friends more convenient. Two-thirds of millennials say they
Americans would rather go
would use a ridesharing service tailored to dog owners that
on a weekend getaway with
allows them to bring their dog in the car (63%), while one
their dog than their...
in three would use a ridesharing service to transport their
dog, without them riding along (33%). Meanwhile, seven
in ten say they wish travel sites did a better job helping
them find dog-friendly accommodations (69%). Despite
this craving for companionship, rising safety concerns are
50% Family
39%
causing many to leave their furry friends at home. The vast
majority of Americans acknowledge this is a serious issue,
with 77% saying, “people don’t take vehicular dog safety
seriously enough.”
37% Partner
28%
In fact, one in three dog owners say they have left their dog at
home because they were concerned their vehicle wasn’t safe
enough (32%), an 8% increase from last year, while one in
32% Children
24%
five feel guilty making their dog ride in the car (21%), up 3%
Millennials Pet Owners Overall
from 2018. Meanwhile, only two-thirds of dog owners believe

AMERICANS FEEL INCREASING ANXIETY

AND GUILT ABOUT PET SAFETY ON THE ROAD

Feel guilty making their Have left their dog at home because they
dog ride in the car felt their car was not safe enough
+3% from 2018 +8% from 2018

27%
Millennials
21%
Pet Owners
40%
Millennials
32%
Pet Owners
Overall Overall

77% of Americans say “people don’t take vehicular dog safety seriously enough.”
 N EW OBSE RVATIO NA L STUDY R EV EA LS SA FE T Y
R IS KS O F U NRESTRA INED PUPS IN V EH IC LES

To better understand how pets riding unrestrained in the

vehicle impacts the driving experience, we conducted an
observational study, following 15 drivers on the road with Expert Advice
their dogs for a total of 30 hours.
“Never drive with your pet unrestrained.
Overall, we saw that pups riding unrestrained can increase In addition to being a distraction, an abrupt
stress – for both themselves and their owners. Pups experienced stop can cause the pet to fall quickly and cause
a spike in heart rate while riding unrestrained, finishing the ride soft tissue injury or worse. In the event of an
accident, pets can jump from the vehicle and
with a heart rate that was, on average, seven beats per minute
go into moving traffic and become hit by other
faster than while riding restrained. We also saw that restraining vehicles or get lost in an unfamiliar area.”
their dog reduces stress for the driver. The majority of drivers
saw a decrease in heart rate from the start to the finish of – Dr. Elisa Mazzaferro, Staff Criticalist,
Cornell University Veterinary Specialists
restrained drives, with some dropping as much as 28 and 34
beats per minute. For both groups, heart rate was more likely to
increase or remain the same when the pup was unrestrained.

This research also showed that allowing a pup to roam
the vehicle significantly increased not only the number
of unsafe driving behaviors, but also their duration. In
fact, the number of unsafe driving behaviors more than
doubled when the dog was unrestrained versus restrained,
as did the amount of time the driver spent distracted by
their dog.
Finally, we saw that, while unrestrained, pups tended
to move around more frantically, and practice more
unsafe behaviors, such as climbing on their driver’s lap
or hanging their head out of the window. More than half
of the distractions unrestrained pups caused were from
jumping seat to seat. In fact, one dog moved back and forth
between seats five times in a matter of one minute.

According to our observational study, the number of

unsafe driving behaviors as well as the amount of time
the dog distracted the driver, more than doubled while
the dog was unrestrained, versus restrained.

Number of unsafe driving behaviors while dog was:

274
Restrained
649Unrestrained

Time driver spent distracted while dog was:

1h, 3h,
39m 39m

Restrained Unrestrained
 BU CK L ING DOWN ON PET SA FET Y

Pet owners are calling for vehicle manufacturers to prioritize

62 %
pet safety. Two-thirds say vehicle manufacturers should
proactively build more dog safety features in their vehicles
(62%), and nearly half agree that vehicle manufacturers that
don’t have built-in dog safety features do not care enough of pet owners say vehicle manufac turers
about pet safety (43%). Furthermore, many say that when
should proac tively build more dog safety
features in their vehicles
considering their next vehicle purchase, a major influence will
be their dog’s personal safety (49%). To make that process
easier, Volvo offers its own pet accessories that build into the
safety system of the car.
 CU LTURA L CONTEXT:
P E T PAMPER ING, R EV ISITED

The American Pet Products Association reports that Americans
spent $73 billion on their furry friends in 2018, up more than
three times from the $23 billion spent only 20 years ago.
Similarly, our 2018 Edition of Volvo Reports: Dogs, Cars
& The People Who Love Them showed that as Americans
continue to increase investment in their pets, the wellbeing
of their furry friends is also more top of mind.
Diet upgrades are the number one way Americans are looking
out for their pets’ health, with two-thirds of pet owners saying
they have either bought or would like to buy organic pet
food. Wellness treatments are another rising area of interest.
Americans cite spa treatments, therapy, and thunder blankets
1
as the top things to which they would like to treat their furry
friends.
Millennials are especially prone to pet pampering, no matter
the price tag. More than half say they would spend $50 or
more on a birthday party for their pet, while one in three would
pay more than $100 for doggy daycare, designer clothes and
Fitbits. Four in ten say they would even take a “paw-ternity”
leave from work if they got a new pet.

MILLENNIALS SEEK OUT PAW SPAS AND PET THERAPY

FOR THEIR FURRY FRIENDS, DESPITE THE COST

Which of the following have you ever treated your pet to or bought for your pet?
(Millennial Pet Owners)

Have done/currently do Would like to do

40%
37%
37% 38%
33%
31%
28% 27% 27% 28%
25%
23%
21% 20 %
18% 18%
15% 16 %
14% 14%
11% 11%

+6% from 2018 +6% from 2018

Organic Pet Pet Pet bag in Thunder Fitbit/ PJs/clothes Pet social Designer Pet spa Pet
pet food birthday daycare addition to blanket fitness to match media clothing treatments therapy
party mine tracker mine account

1 in 3 Millennials
say they would pay
more than $100 for... Pet fitness tracker Pet therapy Pet birthday party
(32%) (31%) (27%)

1
American Pet Products Association, https://www.americanpetproducts.org/press_industrytrends.asp
 VOLVO & PETS

Volvo’s longstanding commitment to safety doesn’t stop
with human passengers. Since the introduction of the
protective steel grille and dog gate on the V70 wagon in
1998, Volvo has aimed to keep all passengers safe in the car
in the event of an accident.
Driving with pets unrestrained poses significant safety risk to
both the pet and the driver. In the event of an accident, pets
that are roaming the back seat or have their heads out of the
window are especially at risk, while also endangering the
driver and other passengers. Pets can also be a distraction
that draws a drivers’ attention away from the road. As of
2019, very few states in the U.S. have laws that require pets
to be restrained.
While some previous studies/videos have tested aftermarket
pet safety tethers and carriers, those crash tests only focus
on the most basic crash test scenarios. Volvo Cars is a
leading vehicle manufacturer that develops safety
accessories for pets that directly tie into the safety
system of the car.
This integration is critical to ensuring all safety features work
together to protect all occupants.
Volvo offers a variety of accessories that integrate with its
safety systems, including a Dog Harness, Load Compartment
Divider, Dog Gate and Protective Steel Grille. Mounting points
are integrated into the car’s interior to offer maximum support
for a grille that has undergone extensive crash test studies to
ensure it stays in place. The divider and dog gate also help
prevent a dog from jumping out when the real tailgate is
opened.
In addition, Volvo has partnered with the Petfinder Foundation,
an adoption organization that raises money to support animal
shelters and rescue groups. For every pet accessory sold,
Volvo will donate $10 to the cause.
Volvo remains steadfast in its dedication to protecting pet
lovers and their four-legged friends, wherever their travels
may take them.