The Science Behind the MIM Safe Variocage

The MIM Safe Variocage: Engineered with Everyone's Safety in Mind

The MIM Safe Variocage is the only dog travel crate on the market currently that has been stringently tested against government automotive crash safety standards (SPCT - Sweden) for front, rear, and rollover impact crash scenarios.

The MIM Safe Variocage was designed and engineered by automotive crash safety engineers and was developed with safety for both the pets and the other occupants in the vehicle in the event of an automotive accident. The following is a breakdown of the science that makes the MIM Safe Variocage the safest and most reliable travel crate available to consumers today.

1. Controlled Compression - All modern vehicles designed today are designed to have crumple zones. A crumple zone is a specifically designed area of the vehicle that is engineered to slow down and divert the energy and force that is created during a collision. The crumple zone essentially reduces the risk of injury for vehicle occupants. The MIM Safe Variocage was designed with the crumple zone in mind, and in the event of an accident, is designed to compress in a  controlled manner (similar to how the vehicle is designed) in order to keep the pet safely contained and limit and impact experienced by the pet and other passengers in the rear seat. 
   
   
2. Angled to Match the Rear Seat - The rear seats in modern vehicles contain a steel plate which makes it an integral part of a vehicle's safety system. During transportation of cargo, it is recommended that the heaviest item is placed against the rear seats for maximum safety. The rear seats are designed to absorb impact from the cargo area and to prevent objects in the cargo area from entering the passenger area. By placing the heaviest items (for example: a dog crate) against the rear seat, you prevent the cargo from gaining additional momentum and force during a collision, which translates into a lower chance of injury for the pet and the other passengers in the vehicle.
   
   The slanted design in the MIM Safe Variocage allows the crate to fit securely against a vehicle's rear seat, and to allow more room for pets in the cargo space. If a collision occurs, the MIM Safe Variocage is designed to disperse the impact across the largest possible surface area providing multiple pressure points against the rear seats. Combined with the Variocage’s unique collapsed compression, this will disperse and reduce the forces it exerts on the rear seat, thus limiting the impact on vehicle occupants.
    
3. Safety Straps - When transporting cargo, it is recommended that it is secured in place behind the rear seat. The MIM Safe Variocage includes safety straps to keep the crate safely and properly aligned and positioned in the cargo area against the rear seats. At a certain amount of force during a collision, the straps are designed to give way so the cage can properly function and be compressed in its controlled manner. This controlled compression is designed on purpose to keep the cage intact while safely containing the pet and minimizing exerted force upon other passengers in the vehicle. The default hooks found in the cargo space in vehicles are not strong enough to withstand forces generated by the crate in the event of an accident so they should not be solely trusted to be the only protection for your pet and the other vehicle occupants.
   
   
4. Escape Hatch - In the event of a collision, it is a common occurrence that some of the existing doors or windows become inoperable. In a rear-end collision, the rear cargo door may become compromised, leaving it unable to open. In cases like these, it is important to have an alternative method for freeing your pet from the crate. The MIM Safe Variocage solves this potential issue by including an escape hatch at the rear of the cage, which can be easily opened by folding down the rear seats. This ultimately allows your pets to be freed in a safe and quick manner after the accident has occurred.
   
   
5. ASTM A366 Gauge Steel - It is imperative for crates to withstand all of the different types of collisions and forces in the event of an accident. The materials used must be strong yet flexible enough to properly disperse the energy and remain intact. The MIM Safe Variocage is constructed of ASTM A366 gauge steel to enable it to effectively respond to the different types of forces experienced in a collision while remaining intact and limiting any impact on other passengers.

Final note - Utilizing a standard, untested solid dog crate in your cargo area can interfere with a vehicle's safety mechanisms. In rear-end collisions, the most common type of collisions in the US, a standard crate will absorb the full force of the impact which can prove fatal to the pet. The force of the impact on an untested crate will also cause it to become a battering ram against the rear seat, which will cause it to exert force upon the vehicle's occupants and could potentially penetrate or break the rear seat, thus causing injury and harm to occupants in the vehicle. Solid and untested crates are ultimately not recommended for your pet's safety and the safety of others in a vehicle during transport.