Campaign for drivers to stay alert for horse riders

Signs to be placed at locations where incidents have occurred

Drivers are being encouraged to stay alert for horse riders using the county’s roads.

A joint safety campaign from Oxfordshire County Council’s Fire and Rescue Service and the British Horse Society has been launched using ‘Pass slow and wide’ warning signs.   These will be positioned at hotspots used regularly by equestrians, where there is a record of reported incidents involving horse riders and road traffic.

A sign on Main Street in Sibford Ferris is one of the first to be put in place.

The British Horse Society’s Dead Slow campaign was launched earlier this year to help better educate drivers on how to safely pass horses.   The campaign includes messages to slow down to a maximum of 15mph, to be patient, pass the horse wide and slow, and drive away slowly away.

The new signs will be erected on either a temporary basis for major equestrian events, or on a more permanent basis, such as the one in Sibford Ferris.

Andy Ford, Road Safety Education Team Manager, Oxfordshire County Council’s Fire and Rescue Service, said: “This safety initiative is about protecting everyone on our roads; drivers and horse riders. I encourage anyone who owns a vehicle to think about the devastating consequences if they ploughed into a horse, or if by passing at speed they frightened the animal; the rider injured or killed as a result. These signs will help you think.”

Alan Hiscox, Director of Safety at the British Horse Society, said: “We are very pleased to be working with Oxfordshire County Council’s Fire and Rescue Service to take steps to improve road safety for horses and riders across the county. We hope these signs will make a difference for equestrians in the area.”

---

Published: 02/09/2021 11:00am by Banbury FM Newsteam

---