Best Crash-Tested Dog Car Harnesses and Crates
Many dog seat belt harnesses, crates and carriers say “crash tested” on the box. Far fewer have passed an independent crash test. This guide only includes products that have.
Updated October 27, 2026. Research by The Pet Gear Lab team.
Disclosure: Some links on this site are affiliate links, and we may earn a commission from qualifying purchases. Picks are labeled Research pick because they come from published testing and owner reports. How we pick.
The short answer
The best crash tested dog car harness for most dogs is the Sleepypod Clickit Sport. It earned the Center for Pet Safety’s 5-star rating for dogs up to 90 pounds and doubles as a walking harness. If your dog rides in the cargo area, the Gunner G1 Kennel, with its tie-down straps, is the best-documented crash tested dog crate.
Key facts
- There is no federal safety standard for pet car restraints, as Tufts’ Your Dog newsletter notes.
- The Center for Pet Safety crash tests restraints with weighted dog dummies and certifies products that score 4 or 5 stars.
- In the Center for Pet Safety’s 2013 harness study, only one of 12 harnesses met its standard.
Every pick here is on the Center for Pet Safety (CPS) certified list. CPS is a nonprofit that crash tests pet restraints with weighted dog dummies. When it tested a dozen car harnesses in 2013, only one met its standard.
Why it matters: AAA estimates that at 30 mph, an unrestrained 10-pound dog exerts about 300 pounds of force in a crash. An 80-pound dog exerts about 2,400 pounds.
We sorted the picks by job: harnesses for most dogs and for big dogs, crates for the cargo area, and a carrier for small dogs. Below, we explain what “crash tested” really means and where your dog should ride.
Quick picks
Best overall, a 5-star crash tested harness for dogs 18 to 90 lb
Best for large and deep-chested dogs, up to 110 lb
Best crate for the cargo area, with tie-down straps
Best for giant dogs, certified sizes to 110 lb
Best for small dogs up to 18 lb, belts to the seat
How to choose
Check the CPS list, not the box. The Center for Pet Safety says that if a product is not on its certified list, “it has not yet passed our testing.” Words like “crash tested” or “tested to child seat standards” are not the same thing.
Match the product to your dog’s weight. CPS tests each size with a dummy at a set weight, and the rating covers that weight. Sleepypod sends dogs under 18 pounds to its carriers, and says dogs under about 17 to 18 pounds have more fragile bones. For small dogs, a certified carrier is the safer fit.
Pick a harness or a crate by where your dog rides. A harness uses the back seat belt. A crate rides in the cargo area of an SUV or truck. Forbes Vetted, paraphrasing CPS founder Lindsey Wolko, says a crash-tested harness may suit people who make short trips or need trunk space.
Use the exact setup that was tested. CPS certified the Gunner and Lucky crates with specific strength-rated straps. Sleepypod says not to use its harnesses with other brands’ accessories. Swapping parts can undo the result.
Skip extension tethers and ziplines. CPS says these add-ons can cancel out a tested harness’s crash protection. Clip the harness straight to the seat belt as the maker directs.
Get the fit right. Measure your dog’s chest behind the front legs and check the maker’s size chart. Owners on Chewy say a loose Clickit Sport lets some dogs slip out.
What crash tested really means
There is no federal safety standard for pet car restraints. Tufts University’s Your Dog newsletter, from the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, warns that many products are marketed as crash tested without having passed rigorous testing.
The Center for Pet Safety certification. CPS is a Virginia nonprofit that says it takes no funding from pet product makers. It crash tests harnesses, crates and carriers using weighted, instrumented dog dummies, not live animals. Products that score 5 or 4 stars are certified. Anything lower is “not recommended.” Tufts reports that certified brands must re-certify every two years, report design changes and follow CPS rules on marketing language. Testing is voluntary, so a brand has to sign up.
The published list is short. As of October 2026, the CPS harness list we read includes only Sleepypod models. The crate list includes the Gunner G1 (Small, Medium and Intermediate), the Lucky Kennel (Medium, Intermediate and Large), and Cabela’s Gun Dog kennels. An older CPS list page also names a Rock Creek aluminum crate. Carriers include Away, PawsInCar and Sleepypod models. CPS has also revoked certifications, including one carrier that Petco sold as a “Crash Tested Pet Carrier.”
Tested is not the same as passed. CPS’s 2013 harness study listed 12 harnesses, and only one met its standard. Only the Sleepypod Clickit Utility, an earlier model, earned “Top Performer.” CPS wrote that it does “not agree with claims of crash protection made by these manufacturers.” One of the harnesses that failed was the Kurgo Tru-Fit Enhanced Strength, which CPS says showed “tearing of neck strap and hardware deformation.” CPS notes that Kurgo later redesigned it, but CPS has not retested it. Kurgo says the current version was tested at an unnamed university facility to the federal child restraint standard, for dogs up to 75 pounds. That claim may be true, but it is not a CPS result.
Child seat standards are a starting point, not a pass. Many makers say they test “to” FMVSS 213, the US child car seat standard. Ruffwear is open about this: it says its Load Up harness kept 25, 45 and 75 pound dummies on the seat in sled tests at an independent lab. It also says the Load Up “has not been tested” to the CPS protocol and would likely not meet CPS limits on how far a dog moves forward. That is why it is not a pick here.
Where your dog should ride. AAA recommends restraining pets in the back seat. CPS also says to keep pets in the back seat. Crates belong in the cargo area, tied down with strength-rated anchor straps. CPS warns that cargo anchors and floors may not be rated for crash forces, so check your vehicle maker’s ratings first. Forbes Vetted, paraphrasing Lindsey Wolko, says to secure a crate with rated straps, “never bungee cords.” For a small dog in a carrier that has not been crash tested, Tufts says the floor behind a front seat is safer than belting it to a seat.
Airbags and front seats. The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) says dogs should not ride in the front passenger seat of a car with an airbag. AAA says a front airbag can hurt a pet in a crash even when the pet is restrained. Never let a dog ride on the driver’s lap or with its head out the window, both of which the AVMA advises against.
Loose is never safe. The AVMA’s policy says it is “unsafe for pets to be loose inside motor vehicles.” It also says riding loose or tethered in an open truck bed is not safe. In a 2011 AAA survey of dog owners, 83% agreed a loose dog in a car is dangerous, but only 16% used a restraint.
What to know about these picks
We have not tested these products, and we did not crash test anything. Every pick is on the Center for Pet Safety’s certified list, and we read each product’s CPS page for its test date, test protocol, dummy weight and star rating. Those are the numbers we report.
Our hands-on sources are CNN Underscored’s long-term review of the Gunner G1, where the writer used two sizes for more than a year (no date shown); Field & Stream’s October 2026 kennel test by Sage Marshall, who used the crates with a hunting dog in Montana; Reviewed’s February 2022 Away Pet Carrier review; and Dogster’s Away review (updated July 2026), where the writer used it with a 15-pound dog. We also used Dogster’s July 2026 crash-tested harness roundup, a 2015 Cars.com test drive of the Clickit Sport with a 65-pound golden retriever, Forbes Vetted’s crate roundup and GoPetFriendly’s crash-tested crate guide.
We found no independent review of the Clickit Range, which launched in 2025. Its card relies on CPS’s page and Sleepypod’s specs. We did not find a Wirecutter or Whole Dog Journal roundup of crash-tested car restraints from the past few years. Whole Dog Journal’s last pick we found, from 2014, was the older Clickit Utility.
Some products you may expect are left out on purpose. The Kurgo Tru-Fit Enhanced Strength failed CPS’s 2013 test and has not been retested. The Ruffwear Load Up is not CPS certified. The Sleepypod Clickit Terrain is CPS certified, but Sleepypod’s Terrain page now opens the Clickit Range, and its harness page lists only the Sport and the Range. The Diggs Passenger Carrier appears on an older CPS list but not on the current list page we read, and it showed out of stock at Diggs and another retailer.
Availability is a real problem in this category. Sleepypod’s own site showed every Clickit Sport and Clickit Range color sold out, and Gunner’s site showed every G1 size sold out with a waitlist. Chewy listed the Clickit Sport in stock. Specs come from maker pages, CPS pages and retailer listings. We do not list prices, since they change often.
Specs compared
| Pick | Best for | Type | Pet weight covered | CPS rating and test date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sleepypod Clickit Sport | Most dogs | Seat belt harness | 18 to 90 lb | 5 stars, 2014 and 2015 |
| Sleepypod Clickit Range | Large and deep-chested dogs | Seat belt harness, Regular or Long | 18 to 110 lb | 5 stars, November 2024 |
| Gunner G1 Kennel | Cargo area, dogs to 70 lb | Rotomolded crate plus straps | Up to 30, 45 or 75 lb by size | 5 stars, 2015 to 2017 |
| Lucky Duck Lucky Kennel | Cargo area, dogs to 110 lb | Rotomolded crate plus strap kit | Up to 50, 75 or 110 lb by size | 5 stars, 2022 and 2024 |
| Away Pet Carrier | Small dogs | Soft carrier, belts to seat | Up to 18 lb | 5 stars, May 2026 |
Weights and ratings come from each product’s Center for Pet Safety page, with Sleepypod’s minimum weight from Sleepypod. Crate weights are the CPS test dummy weights for each certified size.
The picks in detail
Travel Dogs Research pick
Sleepypod Clickit Sport
Best overall
Verdict: The most proven dog seat belt harness you can buy, with a 5-star CPS rating and enough padding to use on walks too.
What it does well: CPS tested the Clickit Sport under its harness protocol, CPS-001-014.01, and rated it 5 stars. The Small passed in July 2014 with a 25-pound dummy, and the XL passed in April 2015 at 90 pounds. CPS says the Medium, Large and XL use “identical materials, stitching and hardware,” so dogs up to 90 pounds in those sizes get the same protection. Sleepypod lists it for dogs from 18 to 90 pounds, with chest sizes from 16.5 to 40 inches. It uses the car’s own seat belt, which Cars.com noted leaves the LATCH anchors free for child seats. In that 2015 test drive, a 65-pound golden retriever stayed on the seat during hard braking. Dogster named it the best overall crash-tested harness in July 2026. Sleepypod says it can be used as a walking harness and is covered by its crash replacement program. It is sold as the Clickit Sport Plus, with a seat belt clip and a buckle shield.
The downsides: Dogster says it fits toy and small breeds poorly and the straps can be hard to adjust. On Chewy, it holds 4.0 out of 5 across 93 ratings. One owner says their dog “slips out of the harness” even when tightened, and another says threading the belt “almost takes two people.” One reviewer reported the reflective coating peeling. Every color showed sold out on Sleepypod’s site, though Chewy had it in stock.
Skip it if: your dog weighs under 18 pounds (use a certified carrier) or over 90 pounds (choose the Clickit Range).
See it at Chewy Affiliate link
Travel Dogs Research pick
Sleepypod Clickit Range
Best for large and deep-chested dogs
Verdict: Sleepypod’s newest certified harness, rated to 110 pounds and shaped for long, deep-chested dogs that standard harnesses fit badly.
What it does well: CPS tested the Clickit Range in November 2024 with a 110-pound dummy under protocol CPS-001-014.01, and rated it 5 stars. Sleepypod says both the Regular and Long versions are rated for dogs from 18 to 110 pounds. It is built for dogs with “narrow, deep, or barrel chests,” such as sighthounds, Golden Retrievers and Bulldogs, and Sleepypod crash tested it with a slender, deep-chested dummy as well as an average one. It comes in Small to 2X-Large, with padded shoulder straps for lifting a dog into the car, and front and back leash points for walks.
The downsides: It is new, and we found no independent review. Its card relies on CPS’s results and Sleepypod’s specs. Sleepypod’s page gives vest lengths but no chest chart in text, so sizing takes more care. Every color showed sold out on Sleepypod’s site, and we found no Chewy or Amazon listing. It costs more than the Clickit Sport, and the XL and 2XL come only in black.
Skip it if: your dog is an average build under 90 pounds. The Clickit Sport is easier to find and has more owner reviews.
See it at Sleepypod Not an affiliate link
Travel Dogs Research pick
Gunner G1 Kennel
Best crash tested crate
Verdict: The best-documented crash tested dog crate, for owners who drive often with a medium or large dog in the cargo area.
What it does well: CPS certifies three sizes, each tested with Gunner’s strength-rated anchor straps under protocol CPS-002-016.01, all 5 stars. The Small passed in June 2017 with a 30-pound dummy, the Medium in March 2017 at 45 pounds and the Intermediate in June 2015 at 75 pounds. The Small is also on CPS’s carrier list. CNN Underscored used the Medium and Intermediate for more than a year with two dogs and two puppies, dropped one out of a car without real damage, and called the crates “incredibly durable.” Field & Stream named it the best overall hunting dog kennel in October 2026. Gunner lists a double-walled body, a reversible door with a key lock and backup latches, a drain plug and a lifetime warranty that excludes damage your dog causes.
The downsides: CNN’s review opens its downsides with “It’s heavy and bulky,” and two crates filled most of the writer’s SUV. Gunner lists the empty Intermediate at 48 pounds. Field & Stream found it hard to load and unload from a truck. The Large size is not CPS certified. The tie-down straps are sold separately, and Gunner calls them the only straps it recommends for certified safety. Gunner rates the Intermediate for dogs up to 70 pounds, while CPS tested it at 75, so go by Gunner’s limit. Every size showed sold out on Gunner’s site, with a waitlist.
Skip it if: your dog is over 70 pounds (choose the Lucky Kennel Large) or you need your cargo space for other things. A certified harness takes far less room.
See it at Gunner Not an affiliate link
Travel Dogs Research pick
Lucky Duck Lucky Kennel
Best crate for giant dogs
Verdict: The only crate on the CPS list rated for a 110-pound dog, built for big breeds and trucks.
What it does well: CPS certifies three sizes, each tested with the Lucky Ratchet Strap Kit under protocol CPS-002-016.01, all 5 stars. The Large passed in July 2022 with a 110-pound dummy, the Intermediate in July 2022 at 75 pounds and the Medium in January 2024 at 50 pounds. Molly’s lists the Large at 45 pounds empty, with a 35.75 by 22 by 26.5 inch interior. Lion Country Supply lists the Intermediate at 38 pounds. It is a one-piece rotomolded kennel with a reversible door, a locking paddle latch, powder-coated tie-downs and drain holes. Field & Stream named it the best kennel for trucks and called it “a solid choice as a hunting dog kennel.”
The downsides: Field & Stream’s tester said “the all-plastic door frame” did not seem as sturdy as the rest, and that the crate is heavy and bulkier than others tested. The strap kit is sold separately, and the certification depends on it. GoPetFriendly reports that the Large’s optional metal airline door is not covered by the certification. We found few owner reviews. It is sold mostly through hunting and outdoor stores.
Skip it if: you want a lighter crate for a medium dog. CPS certifies each size at a set weight, so match the size to your dog, and consider the Gunner G1 Small or Medium for dogs under 45 pounds.
See it on Amazon Affiliate link
Travel Dogs Research pick
Away Pet Carrier
Best for small dogs
Verdict: The newest 5-star certified carrier, for dogs too small for a crash tested harness, and sized for in-cabin flights too.
What it does well: CPS tested it in May 2026 with an 18-pound dummy and rated it 5 stars. Away lists it for pets up to 18 pounds, at 18.7 by 10.8 by 10.75 inches and 4.3 pounds with the strap. Built-in latches fasten it to the car’s seat belt, and a safety clip attaches to your dog’s collar. Away says it is FAA approved and fits under the seat on most major airlines. Dogster’s writer has used it with a 15-pound Chihuahua mix for car rides and errands, and says the dog now goes inside on its own. Reviewed’s tester called it a “durable and high quality build.”
The downsides: Reviewed found “minimal visibility for pets,” limited ventilation and no wheels. Reviewed also warns that airlines often cap pet plus carrier at 20 pounds, so it may not fly with a pet over about 15 pounds. It comes in only a few colors. Away’s page did not show an overall review score.
Skip it if: your dog is over 18 pounds. Move up to a Clickit Sport harness or a Gunner G1 Small, which CPS lists as both a carrier and a crate for dogs up to 30 pounds.
See it at Away Not an affiliate link
Questions people ask
Is the Kurgo Tru-Fit harness crash tested?
Kurgo says it was tested at a university facility to the federal child restraint standard, for dogs up to 75 pounds. But it is not CPS certified. The Enhanced Strength version failed CPS’s 2013 harness study, and CPS says it has not retested the redesigned version.
What is the safest way for a dog to ride in the car?
Restrained, in the back seat or cargo area, in a CPS certified product. That means a certified harness clipped to the back seat belt, a certified carrier for small dogs, or a certified crate tied down with strength-rated straps. The AVMA says loose pets are never safe in a moving car.
Can my dog ride in the front seat?
It is best not to. The AVMA says dogs should not ride in the front passenger seat of a car with an airbag. AAA says a front airbag can hurt a pet even when it is restrained.
Do crash-tested harnesses work for small dogs?
Not the ones we found. Every CPS certified harness is a Sleepypod model, and Sleepypod sends dogs under 18 pounds to its carriers. For a small dog, use a certified carrier like the Away Pet Carrier.
Sources and further reading
- Center for Pet Safety, “CPS Certified Products” (date not shown on page)
- Center for Pet Safety, “Look for the Logo! Center for Pet Safety Certified” (older list, date not shown on page)
- Center for Pet Safety, “2013 Harness Crash Test Study Results” (date not shown on page)
- Center for Pet Safety, Sleepypod Clickit Sport certification (tested July 2014 and April 2015)
- Center for Pet Safety, Sleepypod Clickit Range certification (tested November 2024)
- Center for Pet Safety, Gunner G1 Kennel Small certification (tested June 2017)
- Center for Pet Safety, Gunner G1 Kennel Medium certification (tested March 2017)
- Center for Pet Safety, Gunner G1 Kennel Intermediate certification (tested June 2015)
- Center for Pet Safety, Lucky Kennel Large certification (tested July 2022)
- Center for Pet Safety, Lucky Kennel Intermediate certification (tested July 2022)
- Center for Pet Safety, Lucky Kennel Medium certification (tested January 2024)
- Center for Pet Safety, Away Pet Carrier certification (tested May 2026)
- Center for Pet Safety, “Extension Tether Safety Warning” (date not shown on page)
- Center for Pet Safety, “Securing Pets in Vehicle Cargo Areas” (date not shown on page)
- Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Your Dog, “Is Your Dog’s Car Harness, Travel Crate, or Carrier Crash-Test Certified?” (date not shown on page)
- American Veterinary Medical Association, “Safe non-commercial transport of pets in motor vehicles” (date not shown on page)
- American Veterinary Medical Association, “Traveling With Your Pet” client brochure (date not shown)
- AAA, “Driving With Your Pet” (date not shown on page)
- dvm360, report on AAA’s driving with dogs survey (August 17, 2011)
- Dogster, Kathryn Copeland, “6 Best Crash-Tested Dog Harnesses for the Car in 2026” (updated July 4, 2026)
- Cars.com, Jen Burklow, Clickit Sport dog harness test drive (March 5, 2015)
- Whole Dog Journal, Lisa Rodier, “Whole Dog Journal’s Car Safety Harness Recommendation” (December 18, 2014)
- CNN Underscored, Gunner G1 Kennel review (date not shown on page)
- Field & Stream, Sage Marshall, “We Tested Kennels To Find the Best and Safest for Hunting Dogs” (October 12, 2026)
- Forbes Vetted, Kelly O’Sullivan and Fran Sales, “The 6 Best Dog Crates, According To Pet Experts And Dog Owners” (July 30, 2025; updated July 2026)
- GoPetFriendly, Amy Burkert, guide to crash-tested crates and carriers (February 22, 2023)
- Reviewed, Sarah Zorn, Away Pet Carrier review (February 23, 2022)
- Dogster, Ingrid Yeh, Away Pet Carrier review (updated July 4, 2026)
- Ruffwear, “Load Up Car Harness: Testing & Design” (date not shown on page)
- Kurgo, Enhanced Strength Tru-Fit Dog Car Harness product page
- Sleepypod, crash test table for the Clickit Sport and Clickit Terrain
- Sleepypod, Clickit Range product page
- Sleepypod, “Sleepypod Launches Clickit Range,” Business Wire via Yahoo Finance (January 27, 2026)
- Gunner, G1 Kennel product page
- Away, The Pet Carrier product page
- Lion Country Supply, Michael Cassatt, Lucky Duck kennel overview (June 23, 2022)
- Chewy, Sleepypod Clickit Sport Plus listing and owner reviews
Product details, sizes and certifications change. Confirm the model, size and current Center for Pet Safety listing before you buy, and follow the maker’s install steps. General information, not veterinary advice.
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