• by Tanya Gazdik , 3 hours ago

Volvo Car USA is reminding pet owners that the safest road trips start with every occupant properly secured -- including four-legged ones.

In recognition of Dogust, the annual celebration recognizing Aug. 1 as the birthday for rescue and shelter dogs whose actual birthdays are not often known, Volvo Car USA surveyed U.S. dog owners about their driving habits.

According to the survey conducted by YouGov, 93% of dog owners say their dogs ride in their vehicles, but of those, 61% do not use safety restraints when their dog is riding in the car. In addition, 73% of dog owners whose dogs ride in their vehicles admitted to getting distracted by their dog while driving.  

Volvo Cars is committed to helping protect and care for everyone in and around their Volvo car, and these results reinforce the importance of making pet safety part of every trip, according to the automaker. 

For many dog owners, driving without securing a pet can be easy to overlook. A dog sitting on a driver’s lap or moving freely across the front and back seat can create distractions that take attention away from the road, increasing the potential for an accident. Proper restraint helps limit those distractions and supports a safer ride for all vehicle occupants.

In the event of an accident, dogs may experience injuries that aren’t always immediately visible, and frightened pets can become disoriented and run off, creating added worry for families. Using a proper restraint is one of the simplest and most effective ways owners can help keep their dogs safe and secure on the road.

“As a veterinarian, I’ve seen how quickly a routine car ride can become a stressful situation when a pet isn’t properly restrained,” says Dr. Nicole Fein, veterinarian and board-certified small animal internal medicine specialist, in a release. 

Volvo Car USA offers dog accessories designed to support safer travel, including a dog cage, dog gate and dog harness. Together with safe driving habits, these accessories can help make every journey more comfortable and secure—for every passenger. 

Survey figures from YouGov Plc included a total sample size was 2,477 adults (including 1,068 dog owners) interviewed online July 8-10, 2026. Figures have been weighted and are representative of all U.S. adults (aged 18+).