66 horses were killed in road accidents last year
Mon, 05 Feb 2024
The British Horse Society has revealed that 66 horses and three riders were killed on British roads last year as a result of road accidents.
The figures represent the highest rate of fatalities recorded by the British Horse Society since 2018.
They also come despite the introduction, in January 2022, of new guidance in the Highway Code on passing equestrians safely.
Overall, almost 3400 incidents were reported to the British Horse Society during 2023. 85% of these involved a vehicle either passing too closely or too quickly.
Nearly 1 in 4 riders were victims of road rage or abuse last year, too.
"Far too many lives have been lost over the last 10 years and we are working hard to drastically reduce the number of incidents that take place," says the society’s director of safety Alan Hiscox.
"While we recognise and thank all drivers who continue to follow the Highway Code guidance, there is still much work to do."
And for those who say that horse riders should just stay off the roads, Hiscox added that it’s not so simple.
"Unfortunately, it isn’t always possible for equestrians to stay off the roads, due to the shrinking bridleway network. That’s why it’s so important that we all play our part to make sure everyone remains safe."
The British Horse Society is urging motorists to pass horses at no more than 10mph and to leave at least two metres guidance.
It is also encouraging riders to wear hi-vis clothing and other reflective equipment, as well as using the appropriate hand signals to make other road users aware of their intentions to manoeuvre.
"A horse’s instinctive response to danger is to react and move very quickly," says Hiscox. "Understandably, a driver passing at an inappropriate speed can be intimidating for the horse and be cause for alarm."
This is why it’s so important for drivers to consider the true power of horses and to pass them slowly and with plenty of room he explains.
The British Horse Society is running a ‘Dead Slow’ road safety campaign, explaining how to pass horses safely – and warning of how impactful passing too quickly and closely can be.
The society even has a smartphone app, the Horse i app, for both equestrians and the wider public to log any equine-related safety incidents.
"The more incidents that are logged, the more the BHS can do to protect the rights of equestrians on Britain’s roads," adds Hiscox.
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