The UK is undoubtedly a country passionate about Horses. From the Queen celebrating her horses’ recent victory at royal ascot, to a little girl’s dream coming true when she’s told she’s on her way to her first horse riding lesson, horses clearly hold a place in many people’s hearts. In the past horses were relied on as the main form of transport; today this has undoubtedly shifted to cars and accidents unfortunately occur when these two meet.
Horse road accidents are becoming more and more frequent as both cars and horses need to use the road. But who is at fault if a collision does occur?
This mainly depends on the circumstances surrounding the accident. Most of the time it is down to the negligence of the driver who may be driving too fast and therefore is unable to slow down in time when a horse appears before them. This is one of the main reasons that many of these collisions happen on narrow, windy country roads – of course to many this is common sense as horse riders are more likely to be riding around these than using the fast lane of the M1!
However, the rider of the horse may also be at fault. The Think! Campaign gives advice regarding the responsibility of both drivers and horses when using the roads. Riders should always wear reflective clothing, never ride more than two abreast, and be aware of the temperament of their horse: never take a nervous horse on a road alone!
Motorists should always slow down and be prepared to stop when following horses. If overtaking, it is paramount that this is done slowly and widely, as horses can be easily frightened. NEVER sound your horn or rev your engine – you do not know the nature of the horse you are passing and doing this could cause serious injury to both the rider and the horse.
For example: overtaking a horse at high speed could cause the horse to rear and consequently throw its rider onto the hard road surface. Needless to say this could lead to severe injury and in some cases a possible fatality. In this scenario the driver has been negligent.
There are usually signs for country roads that are frequently used by horses as well. These should be taken seriously and not just ignored – they are there to give you a clear and important warning.
If you have been injured in an accident whilst riding your horse on a road, seek the help of a professional personal injury solicitor straight away! Both motorists and horses have a right to use the road and with this a shared responsibility to exercise due care and attention when doing so.
