Bringing your dog on the road? Volvo Trucks' new safety guide covers everything you need to know
The recommendations cover crash-tested harnesses and carriers, preparing for emergencies, and managing extreme weather conditions
More than 60 percent of commercial truck drivers are pet owners, and nearly 40 percent of them bring their pets along for the ride. To increase safety for pets on the road, Volvo Trucks and the nonprofit organization Center for Pet Safety have issued a free guide for all pet-loving drivers.
"For many professional drivers, a dog or cat can be more than a pet waiting at home. They are a constant companion through thousands of miles, long shifts, and nights on the road," said Maddie Sullivan, product marketing manager at Volvo Trucks North America.
Take a look inside the free safety guide
The guide includes recommendations on how to select the right crash-tested harnesses and carriers, how to prepare for emergencies, how to manage hot and cold weather, and how to safely navigate overnight stops with your pet.
It also covers pet first-aid kits, seasonal safety, emergency preparedness, and hotel etiquette. One of the most important recommendations is also one of the simplest: pets should be properly restrained while the truck is moving.
"Professional drivers spend more hours behind the wheel than almost anyone, and for many of them, their pet is part of that daily routine," said Lindsey Wolko, founder and chief executive officer of the Center for Pet Safety. "The new guide gives them real, practical answers, from picking a harness or crate that actually protects in a crash to knowing what to do if something goes wrong."
Recently released in connection with National Dog Day, the guide is designed for both drivers taking a pet on the road for the first time and those who have already logged hundreds of thousands of miles with a dog or cat by their side.
"Safety has always been part of Volvo's DNA, and that shows in how much has changed with the all-new Volvo VNL," said Sullivan. "This guide helps drivers apply the same safety mindset to the animals that travel alongside them every day."
