Is Dog your co-pilot? Then listen-up. The Ford Edge is the safest car on the road for pets.

So says the pet safety group, Bark Buckle UP (www.barkbuckleup.com)

In fact, Ford has three on the top 10 list of pet-safe vehicles for 2010: Chrysler Town and Country; Dodge Journey; Ford Edge; Ford Flex; Ford Transit Connect; Kia Soul; Honda Element (which last year introduced its first "dog friendly model" with ramp, rear car kennel, pet bed and fan); Smart Car; Subaru Outback; Volvo XC60.

"Most people don't think about it, but in only a 35 mph accident with a 60-pound pet it becomes a 2,700-pound projectile," says Christina Selter, founder of Bark Buckle UP.

The group evaluated vehicles on a variety of pet-friendly points, including how easily the vehicle accommodates animals and kennels, ease of pet entry and exit, and ventilation.

- Amy Worden, The Philadelphia Inquirer