RSGB Talk: equestrian road safety under the spotlight

10.43 | 17 April 2019 | | | 1 comment

Equestrian road safety is the subject of the latest RSGB Talk podcast, with Alan Hiscox, director of safety at the British Horse Society, discussing the challenges faced by horse riders on UK roads.

During the podcast, which is now available to listen to and download, Alan outlines how the British Horse Society (BHS) is working proactively with road safety stakeholders to improve the safety of horse riders.

Alan highlights the importance of the BHS’s ‘Dead Slow’ campaign, which sets out to educate drivers on how to pass horses on the road – and remind riders of their responsibility to adhere to the Highway Code.

He reiterates the key campaign messages to drivers, which are:

  • Slow down to a maximum of 15mph
  • Be patient – do not sound the horn or rev the engine
  • Pass the horse wide and slow (if safe to do so), at least a car’s width if possible
  • Drive slowly away

Alan also explains how the BHS is campaigning to push equestrian road safety up the Government’s agenda, which resulted in its inclusion in the road safety debate staged in parliament in November 2018.

Click here to listen to the podcast (15 mins).

RSGB Talk
Launched in December 2018, RSGB Talk is a monthly podcast published on the Road Safety GB website and hosted by Nick Rawlings, editor of Road Safety News.

The four previous editions feature:

  • Jeremy Leach, London campaign coordinator for 20’s Plenty for Us, discussing ‘all things 20mph’ (December 2018)
  • Sam Merison, director of the Road Safety GB Academy, talking about the future of the Academy (January 2019)
  • Sgt Road Heard, founder of the Older Drivers’ Forum, discussing how to keep older drivers safer for longer (February 2019)
  • Jonny Ewles, strategy director at VMLY&R – the creative agency which works on the young driver element of the THINK! Campaign (March 2019)

To express an interest in appearing on a future edition of RSGB Talk, please contact Nick Rawlings via email.


 

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    As I have said before. How many times does one come into contact with a horse rider. Not very often. I am sure that during training of say 40 or 60 hours it’s odds on that very few if any learner will ever come into contact with such a situation.

    That said it’s also about the horse and the rider. Don’t upset or startle the rider as if they are suddenly confronted with a situation that they had not prepared for.That sudden shock could transfer itself to the horse and make them skittish and frightened also. I have seen some riders and horses that should not have been on the road at all.. The other day there were two 11/12 year old girls with ponies and they were having some trouble keeping their horses quiet and under control. They should not have been there and put themselves and their ponies at such a risk.


    R.Craven
    Agree (5) | Disagree (0)
    +5

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