Doggie seat belts???

[lUvMyLaB<3]

We are having a conversation about dogs being buckled in the car.. Personally I don't use one.. I have a SUV and a divider that allows them to be in the back, or sometimes I use a kennel. But My little dog, about 8lbs, I usually allow loose with us when I am running around as I take him almost everywhere I go.

I am just wondering what other people do, as I trust your opinions more than those I am conversing with on this topic. Am I a bad dog owner because I allow him loose in the car? I know that if we were in an accident he could be hurt, but I suppose it would have to be a pretty bad accident and I only have him loose when I am driving in town, and it is a small town, no highways or fast roads or whatever, all just quiet streets..

So what do other people do? I don't mean like a trip to the vet, I am wondering about others that take their dog everywhere, like taking my kids to and from school ect.. Many short trips every single day...

Also I know they study and research child seats, and seat belts I don't know how much doggie seatbelts have been studied, I assume they would have to be almost custom made for the dog to make sure that they don't put pressure on any soft areas of the body, with the force of a crash if it was not on something similar to our hips, it would probably cause more damage, I assume these were only invented to restrain a dog in a car, and not for the purpose of saving their lives.. I am very curious about this, please help, and tell me if I am a bad dog owner and I should get one and start using it. That would mean less trips as when I have my kids in the car there are no more seats, unless I buckle him in the front, and then I would be a bad owner for putting him in front of an airbag.. according to these people...