Warwickshire Road Safety Partnership (WRSP) is reminding drivers to ALWAYS pass horses wide and slow to help improve the safety of the many adults, children and young people who ride, carriage drive or lead horses on the road.

Carol Cotterill Warwickshire Police, Rural Crime Coordinator said “Whilst good drivers keep up to date with changes to the Highway Code, a significant number of drivers are still unaware of the updated advice and the importance of driving carefully when passing and approaching horses.  These road users are vulnerable and all drivers are expected to always take extra care to pass them safely.

The Highway Code is now specific about what drivers need to do to safely pass horses:-

• Slow down to a maximum of 10mph
• Be patient, and do not sound a horn or rev the engine
• When safe to do so, pass the horse wide and slow (2 metres minimum if possible)
• Drive slowly away

“As well as slowing down to 10mph and allowing 2m when passing horses on the roads, our advice to drivers on narrow or rural roads is to expect the unexpected around the next corner – there could be a horse and rider, a cyclist or a pedestrian.  There may also be oncoming traffic.  Please slow down and be ready to pass vulnerable road users wide and slow.”

“Never be tempted to ‘squeeze’ past a horse on the road as they are large and by passing them too closely or too fast you are risking your own life as well as the lives of the horse and rider or carriage driver.”

WRSP has produced this video in partnership with Project Edward (Every Day Without a Road Death) and The British Horse Society to help drivers, cyclists and bikers understand how to safely pass horses on the roads. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzDx7dnakjE

Although not in the Highway Code, WRSP encourages the wearing of hi vis and if possible, flashing lights to improve the visibility of the horse and rider on the roads.

To help riders improve their safety on the roads, this advice and other tips are in this short video  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXgjYcwgvbM

We know incidents involving horses on the roads are under reported and so we encourage equestrians to report incidents to The British Horse Society on the Horsei app to help us understand the true picture of what is happening.  This will help partners focus resources where they are really needed. Visit www.bhs.org.uk for more info.

Members of the public can also report and submit digital footage showing potential moving traffic offences such as dangerous or careless driving to Warwickshire Police via Op Snap. The evidence will be reviewed by a road traffic police officer.  Please visit www.warwickshire.police.uk/OperationSnap for more info.

For information on road safety initiatives in Warwickshire please visit website www.warksroadsafety.org or follow us on Facebook @WarwickshireRoadSafety and on X @WarksRoadSafety

The statistics

Statistics provided by The British Horse Society indicate that nationally in 2023, 3,383 road incidents involving horses were reported to them. 66 horses died, and 86 were injured Three people have died, and 94 were injured.  85% of these were because a vehicle passed too closely or quickly.

Serious collision involving a horse and rider in Warwickshire

Sadly in 2023 a serious collision involving a horse and rider occurred in Warwickshire on Monday 2 January on Tysoe Road, Kineton.  The rider suffered injuries amounting to grievous bodily harm and the horse was put to sleep by vets at the roadside.

The driver, a man in his 70’s pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by careless / inconsiderate driving and was sentenced at Coventry Crown Court in September to a 12 month driving ban and required to take an extended test of competence before he can drive again.  He was also fined £540.

This case highlights how careful drivers need to be on our rural roads all of the time. The sun was low and the driver continued along the road without adjusting his driving for the conditions before colliding with the horse and rider. He drove in a careless and inconsiderate way and this was reflected in the sentence.