I once was involved in a very serious car crash. I was turning right off an "A" road (that would be the equivalent of a left turn in the US); had done everything correctly (backed up by witnesses) but some silly person decided to overtake at that moment as he was coming round the bend behind the 3 or 4 cars which had slowed for me to turn right.
He slammed into the side of me at goodness knows what speed just as I was making the turn. My car was smashed then flipped right over like a pancake with me still in it, then squashed, roof to chassis.
My dog Toby had been in the passenger seat next to me, and for some strange reason I had been inspired to open the window quite a way before leaving town that day. That was unusual, as I never opened it too far on his side...
Anyway, the next thing I knew I was gazing at the road-grit, could hear the engine still running, and could smell a fuel leak. Ahead of me I could see Toby, about 50 yards up the road, on all four feet but cringing. I squeezed myself out of a gap in the broken window which I found out later was 9 inches high (!) and raced to Toby. He was covered in blood and I was worried, but it turned out the blood was mine and he was absolutely unscathed! He had no injury not even a knock to the head. He must have leapt out of the window just before the car was flipped over. I was so grateful. He was a very athletic tough little dog (Jack Russell) in the prime of life.
I kept wondering if he would have survived had he been inside the car....
But that is an unusual set of events. And I agree with any safety measure in cars for our beloved animals! I think that dog and cat crates should be very tough and able to withstand any blows without collapsing.
He slammed into the side of me at goodness knows what speed just as I was making the turn. My car was smashed then flipped right over like a pancake with me still in it, then squashed, roof to chassis.
My dog Toby had been in the passenger seat next to me, and for some strange reason I had been inspired to open the window quite a way before leaving town that day. That was unusual, as I never opened it too far on his side...
Anyway, the next thing I knew I was gazing at the road-grit, could hear the engine still running, and could smell a fuel leak. Ahead of me I could see Toby, about 50 yards up the road, on all four feet but cringing. I squeezed myself out of a gap in the broken window which I found out later was 9 inches high (!) and raced to Toby. He was covered in blood and I was worried, but it turned out the blood was mine and he was absolutely unscathed! He had no injury not even a knock to the head. He must have leapt out of the window just before the car was flipped over. I was so grateful. He was a very athletic tough little dog (Jack Russell) in the prime of life.
I kept wondering if he would have survived had he been inside the car....
But that is an unusual set of events. And I agree with any safety measure in cars for our beloved animals! I think that dog and cat crates should be very tough and able to withstand any blows without collapsing.
