Clickit or Ticket: Sleepypod Product Review

Most people know they Click It or get a Ticket  

"Click It or Ticket" is the most successful seatbelt campaign according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, helping to increase seatbelt usage from coast to coast.  Adults and older children wear seatbelts, little children get buckled into their safety seat which is tethered to a restraint system built into cars.  But what about pets?

Your Pet May Not Be Protected in a Crash

“Just as seatbelts are standard equipment for protecting humans in the event of a car accident, it is important to use pet safety restraints to keep your pet in the car seat during an accident because car seats are designed to carry people, not pets,” says Melony Lee, a Sleepypod owner and product designer.

At Sleepypod, they have researched the catastrophic consequences of driving with an unrestrained or not properly restrained pet.  Sleepypod hired a U.S. Department of Transportation and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration sponsored crash-test facility to test the crash-worthiness of its entire line of pet carriers as well as a generic plastic pet carrier, and a generic pet safety harness, using a weighted, crash-test dog.

Crash tests were performed at the speed of 30 m.p.h. which is the standard for child safety seats in the United States.  There is no legal standard for the crash-worthiness of carriers or restraint systems for pets so the standard for child safety seats was used.

For any pet owner, the results of Sleepypod's Safety Test Program on non-Sleepypod restraints are terrifying.

Crash Test Failure - Ordinary Harness

Crash Test Failure - Ordinary Pet Carrier

Crash Test Failure - Unrestrained

Sleepypod for Safety

After receiving a press release about the crash-tests and watching the videos, Ma decided I needed a better car restraint.  She talked with the nice folks at Sleepypod and they agreed to send me one of their newest restraint systems, the Clickit Utility harness. 

Crash Test Success - Sleepypod Clickit

The Clickit is the first dog safety harness to incorporate three-points of attachment to absorb force in a frontal collision.  In the Clickit Utility package, I received the harness, the two tethers that attach to the child seat restraints in the car and instructions on how the Clickit works.  It can be used in the cargo area as well by attaching to the cargo anchors!

The Clickit Utility harness is padded and is designed to hug the upper torso of a dog to absorb forward movement. 

The tethers, or belts, anchor the lower torso and reduce forward and lateral movement.  I ride in the backseat so we connected the tethers to the child safety restraint system in the car.

At first, it can seem a bit complicated to use...Ma had to adjust the length of the tethers and then getting me hooked up in the car the very first time took a little while.  You see, it's not just the tethers that need to get attached but the seatbelt goes through the back of the harness before latching into its holder...my fur did not want to cooperate with the seatbelt. BOL

For a great description of how to secure your dog in the car in the Clickit Utility harness, watch THIS VIDEO on Sleepypod's YouTube channel.

Safety is My Middle Name

Now that we understand how everything works, attaches, etc., Ma and I love the Sleepypod Clickit Utility harness.  We have gone for several drives to test it out and I find it very comfortable. 

On one of our drives, Ma even slammed on the brakes once when no one was around to see how the Clickit worked; I barely even moved from my spot (we weren't going very fast...probably not even 30 m.p.h.).

I cannot wait for our next road trip knowing I will be comfortable AND SAFE in my spot in the backseat.  Thank you, Sleepypod!

I give my Clickit Utility harness 4 PAWS UP for comfort and safety!  I highly recommend the Clickit Utility for any dog that is a road-tripper like myself.

About Sleepypod

At Sleepypod, they believe your pet deserves the best and they aim to provide the most secure and comfortable products for pets at home and on the go.  Sleepypod offers a line of travel restraint systems for your pets including the Sleepypod, Air, Atom, Sidekick and Clickit.

Review Disclaimer: I did not receive any monetary compensation for this review. I was given a free product to review. The opinions in this review are my own and not influenced by any outsider. I receive no additional benefits for talking about the product or company.