Riders can help improve safety on roads in their area by supporting HORSE magazine’s National Horse & Road Safety Awareness Day
Riders concerned about their safety on the roads are being urged to support HORSE magazine’s national campaign on Saturday 12 October, which aims to educate motorists and riders on how to co-exist safely on today’s roads.
Statistics show that each year, 3,000 horses and riders are involved in road accidents and in the last year, seven rider and 21 equine fatalities have been reported.
Horse enthusiasts are being asked to use National Horse & Road Safety Awareness Day to spread the word among motorists about theright way to pass horses on the roads.
HORSE magazine is hoping riders will use the safety day to hold awareness raising events or hand out information leaflets in their local area. The magazine’s October issue includes a safety poster and leaflet which readers can photocopy and distribute in their area.
“We are hoping riders will target town centres or local supermarkets to reach as many motorists as possible,” says Jaki Bell, editor of HORSE magazine.”Even if someone can hand out a leaflet to 10 drivers it can make a real difference.
“Riders and horses are needlessly being injured or losing their lives and one of the biggest causes is ignorance. Motorists don’t realise that they need to slow down and give a horse room when they drive past.”
Jaki adds that speed, particularly on narrower country lanes, is a contributing factor to many accidents involving horses and riders.
“There have been cases where drivers have been going so fast they haven’t seen the horse and rider until too late and they haven’t had time to stop,” she says.
“To avoid the tragic consequences we urge drivers to agree to follow five simple rules and ask riders to be courteous at all times and wear hi-visibility clothing so they are easily seen.”
HORSE magazine’s five rules for motorists are:
- Pass horses wide and slow
- Keep your distance
- Don’t make any sudden or loud noises
- Expect to see a horse and rider around the next bend
- Respect a rider’s signals
| Don’t miss the October issue of HORSE magazine for all the latest news on National Horse & Road Safety Awareness Day.
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