Airbag Warning for Pet Owners |
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEAirbag Inflation Risk for Pets: Ruff Rider sites imminent danger for pets riding in the front seat (Boulder, CO - February 21, 2001) - Ruff Rider Products advises pet owners about the dangers of placing dog's in the front seat of vehicles with airbags. Ruff Rider states, "A dog's head is too low and may be as much as 15 inches closer to the dashboard than a human's when seated in the front passenger position. This is extremely dangerous because airbags deploy from the dashboard at approximately 200 mph." Edward Jetter, Safety Standards Engineer at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, agrees that if a passenger is hit by an airbag before it is fully inflated, the passenger may sustain serious injury or even death. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recommends that passengers' sit at least 12 inches away from the dashboard. National Statistics show that airbags may help prevent fatality by as much as 35% when used correctly. However, there were a significant amount of incidents in which some passengers were seriously or fatally injured after being seated in close proximity to a deploying airbag. Ruff Rider states, "Airbags were not designed for dogs or children. Airbags are designed for adult humans." Toni Howell of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety agrees that airbags are not safe for pets riding in the front seat, but concludes that they do not have any information or statistics on pets in vehicles. The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration also lacks statistics on how many pets are injured in car accidents each year. For the best protection Ruff Rider recommends that children and dogs be seated in the back seats and all passengers (including the family dog) be buckled into the seat belts securely. Ruff Rider also offers options to restrain dogs where there are no seat belts available. Ruff Rider Products manufactures RoadieTM the most reputable line of canine vehicle restraints available. Ruff Rider's Roadie design was rated "Top Choice" and "Product of the Year 1999" by Your Dog Magazine of Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine. The design was tested at Commercial Testing Laboratory in Denver, CO revealing a tensile strength of 7025 lbs (more than 2000 lbs over SAE human seatbelts standard.) Inventor Carl Goldberg broadened the versatility of the design by creating more models. Models include assist harnesses for service dogs, outdoor harnesses for hiking and deluxe models with Shearling linings. Roadie harnesses fit dogs from 7 lbs. - 200 lbs. For additional information contact Ruff Rider Products Inc: 720-249-2986 or emailus@ruffrider.com For more information about airbag safety, please contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration of the United States Department of Transportation. (888) 327-4236 www.nhtsa.dot.gov Electronic pictures/graphics are available upon request. |
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