Paws on the road: 40% of pet owners are unaware of rules about driving with dogs
AND one in five (21%) dog owners admit to not adequately securing their dog in the car
This National Love Your Pet Day, new research from Go.Compare Car insurance reveals a worrying trend as 40% of pet owners admit they are unaware of the Highway Code rules around travelling with pets in the car.**
5% of dog owners also admitted to not restraining their dog at all when driving*, meaning their dog could be moving freely around the car, causing a distraction to the driver.
A further 16% rely on a lead to restrain their furry friends, a method which according to the highway code isn’t an adequate restraint - meaning one in five aren’t properly restraining their dogs (21%). *
According to Rule 57 of the highway code: “When in a vehicle make sure dogs or other animals are suitably restrained so they cannot distract you while you are driving or injure you, or themselves if you stop quickly. A seat belt harness, pet carrier, dog cage or dog guard are ways of restraining animals in cars.”
| How do dog owners secure their dog in the car | % of dog owners* |
| In a harness | 43% |
| Using their lead | 16% |
| In the boot | 12% |
| In a cage | 10% |
| Another way | 2% |
| No | 5% |
If you’re distracted by an unsecured pet while driving, you could get charged with ‘driving without proper control’ which comes with a £1,000 fine and three points on your licence, or with careless driving (driving without due care and attention), which can attract between three to nine penalty points, an unlimited fine and, depending on the case, a disqualification from driving.
Tom Banks, spokesperson for Go.Compare Car insurance commented:
“As a nation of dog owners, many of us will have driven around the UK with our furry friends. But this research shows that not everyone is taking the precautions they need - with 16% of dog owners using a lead and 5% not restraining their dogs at all.
“And with four in ten pet owners admitting they are unaware of the highway code, they could be putting both their pet, themselves and other road users at risk. A loose dog can be a distraction for you, pulling your attention away from the road but they could also get in the way of the steering wheel or foot pedal, restricting your control of the vehicle itself.”
To make sure you are compliant and looking after your pets properly, the safest ways to travel with your dog include:
● A properly fitted harness designed for car travel
● A dog guard if travelling in the boot
● A secured pet crate or carrier
Tom continued: “Taking those extra few minutes to properly secure your dog before setting off on your journey, keeps them and you safe. Your pet is a cherished member of your family - you wouldn’t let your loved ones ride unrestrained in a car so it makes sense to extend the same care to your pet.”
To learn more about driving with dogs and for some more tips, visit here:
https://www.gocompare.com/motoring/guides/driving-safely-with-a-pet-in-the-car/
Contact Information
Rubie Barker
Notes to editors
-ENDS-
*The research was conducted by Censuswide, among a sample of 2004 UK Nationally Representative Consumers. The stats referring to pet owners refer to the 1230 UK Consumers surveyed who own pets and the stats referring to dog owners refer to the 781 UK Consumers surveyed with a dog. The data was collected between 24.01.2025 - 27.01.2025. Censuswide abides by and employs members of the Market Research Society and follows the MRS code of conduct and ESOMAR principles. Censuswide is also a member of the British Polling Council.
**No’ and ‘Not sure’ responses combined.
For further information please contact:
Lynsey Walden or Rubie Barker at Go.Compare on lynsey.walden@gocompare.com or Rubie@fdcomms.co.uk
Keep up-to-date with GoCompare on X (Twitter); @GoCompare
About Go.Compare
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It does not charge people to use its services and does not accept advertising or sponsored listings, so all product comparisons are unbiased. Go.Compare makes its money through fees paid by the providers of products that appear on its various comparison services when a customer buys through the site.
When it launched in 2006, it was the first comparison site to focus on displaying policy details rather than just listing prices, with the aim of helping people to make better-informed decisions when buying their insurance. It is this approach to comparing products that secured the company an invitation to join the British Insurance Brokers’ Association (BIBA) in 2008, and it is still the only comparison site to be a member of this organisation.
Go.Compare has remained dedicated to helping people choose the most appropriate products rather than just the cheapest and works with Defaqto, the independent financial researcher, to integrate additional policy information into a number of its insurance comparison services. This allows people to compare up to an extra 30 features of cover.
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More information can be found here www.gocompare.com or here https://www.futureplc.com/brands/.