Police target drivers passing horses dangerously
Police forces in the South West teamed up to make roads safer for horses and riders as part of a recent operation in Devon.
Our Rural Affairs officers and Roads Casualty Reduction team joined forces with the British Horse Society and the Mounted Section at Avon & Somerset Police to educate motorists about the importance of passing horses safely.
In 2024, the British Horse Society recorded 3,118 road incidents involving horses, resulting in 97 horses becoming injured and 58 horses sadly losing their lives.
The British Horse Society says 81% of these incidents occurred as a result of a driver passing too closely or too quickly.
Our ‘close pass’ operation took place in and around Bampton in Devon, and saw Mounted Officers from Avon & Somerset ride on horseback in plain clothes. This allowed them to identify any drivers passing horses too closely or too quickly.
Information was then fed back to Devon & Cornwall policing teams who intercepted vehicles and issued words of advice to drivers.
Officers said many drivers seemed unaware of the correct way to pass horse riders on the road, with many drivers incorrectly believing they had done so safely.
Rural Affairs officer PC Lucy Wyatt leads on equine crime in Devon and Cornwall and was responsible for organising the operation. She said “I grew up riding horses and have experienced, first-hand, how dangerous it can be when motorists pass too fast or too close.
“We have to remember that horses are animals with their own brains, and they can become spooked if a vehicle passes at an inappropriate speed or distance, and this can have devastating consequences for everyone involved.”
During the operation, the team identified several drivers who passed the horses too quickly or without allowing enough space. The team also identified a motorist using a mobile phone whilst driving.
“When approaching horses and riders on the road, drivers should slow down to no more than ten miles per hour, avoid revving their engine or honking their horn and then pass slowly when safe to do so, allowing least two meters of space between the horse and vehicle.”
PC Wyatt recommends that horse riders wear hi-visibility and reflective clothing and stay alert to their surroundings. Lucy also recommends that riders use clear hand signals to indicate their intentions and be courteous and polite to all other roads users.
Lucy added, “This is the first of many collaborative operations we’ll be carrying out. I hope that our actions have helped to educate drivers about the importance of passing horses safely and provided reassurance to horse riders that we are committed to reducing the number of people – and animals – killed or seriously injured on our roads.
“Everyone has a right to use the road. Let's look out for one another and make sure everyone gets home safely.”
Footage of unsafe driving, including dangerous overtaking of horses, can be submitted to Devon & Cornwall via Operation Snap: Operation Snap - Devon and Cornwall Road Safety Team (Devon & Cornwall Police)