Shocking videos show vehicles driving dangerously fast and close to horse riders.<br /><br />The footage was released by the the British Horse Society (BHS) as they launch its 'Dead Slow' campaign.<br /><br />It aims to educate drivers on the best etiquette to abide by when driving past horses.<br /><br />This comes after statistics show that horses are being killed on the roads at an "alarming rate" with at least one horse dying each week across the UK in 2023.<br /><br />In addition to these, three equestrians were also killed last year as a result of road incidents - the highest rate of human fatalities recorded by the charity since 2018.<br /><br />These figures are despite the changes to the highway code that were brought into force in 2022, which outlined clear guidance for passing horses and equestrians safely.<br /><br />In total, 3,383 incidents were reported to the BHS over the course of 2023.<br /><br />85% of these occurred due to a vehicle passing by too fast or too closely.<br /><br />The BHS now aims to inform drivers with their Dead Slow road safety campaign by educating road users on how to pass horses safely.<br /><br />They also want to inform people how dangerous passing horses too quickly and closely can be.<br /><br />The charity are telling drivers to pass horses at no more than 10mph and to make sure to leave at least two meters distance. <br /><br />Director of Safety at The British Horse Society, Alan Hiscox says: “Looking at the 2023 statistics, it is clear that a significant number of drivers are still unaware of the advice in the Highway Code and the importance of driving carefully when passing and approaching horses.<br /><br />“Far too many lives have been lost over the last 10 years and we are working hard to drastically reduce the number of incidents that take place across the UK."<br /><br />The BHS is also giving advice for equestrians to follow, which include wearing hi-vis and reflective equipment.<br /><br />They are also giving advice on using the proper hand signals to make other road users aware of their intentions when moving.<br /><br />As well as this, the charity is asking any equestrians, and members of the public, to log any equine related safety incidents using the Horse i app. <br /><br />They say the more incidents that are logged, the more the BHS can do to protect the rights of equestrians on Britain’s roads.<br /><br />To learn more about The British Horse Society’s Dead Slow campaign and how you can help visit: www.bhs.org.uk/deadslow.
