Equestrian safety on Essex roads

Car overtaking a horse rider
© DVSA Crown copyright

In a significant change to The Highway Code, there is now updated guidance on safe passing distances – along with the addition of the speeds for people driving or riding a motorcycle when overtaking vulnerable road users.

This is a change to the instruction to pass wide and slow as seen in the previous addition.

Road users are now directed to:

  • Pass people riding horses or driving horse-drawn vehicles at speeds under 10 mph and allowing at least 2 metres (6.5 feet) of space

During a recent survey by the British Horse society, during 2021, 64 road incidents were reported in Essex, by equestrians, to their website. During the same period our Extra Eyes received 18 video submissions from riders showing examples of poor driving.

Equestrians are considered vulnerable and equal to cyclists on the new hierarchy of road users, being some of the most at risk of injury in the event of a collision.

Drivers and motorcycle riders can be prosecuted for performing careless or dangerously close passes on them and must follow the highway code.


07 February 2022

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