Main concern for riders as drivers admit dashing on rural roads

Information that the proportion of drivers who admit to dashing on rural roads has risen considerably up to now yr is a serious concern for equestrians.

The RAC 2022 report on motoring discovered that 48% of the three,102 drivers questioned had damaged the pace restrict on 60mph rural roads, up from 44% in 2021. This matches the 2016 report.

A complete of 8% confessed they’d accomplished this incessantly, and 40% had often, on as much as half their journeys on these roads.

The British Horse Society (BHS) mentioned the stats have been “extraordinarily regarding”

“That is particularly alarming for horse riders, cyclists, and different susceptible street customers, who could also be at a better danger of an accident because of the elevated pace of autos on these roads,” a BHS spokesman advised H&H, including that the charity is “dedicated” to creating consciousness about passing horses safely on the roads.

“The variety of street incidents involving horses continues to rise throughout the UK, with studies of two horses killed on Britain’s roads already this yr. This follows the 68 equine deaths logged by way of the BHS Horse i app in 2022, with a further 125 injured and 139 human accidents. Of those, 78% of incidents occurred as a result of a automobile handed by too rapidly.

“This highlights the necessity for drivers to cut back their pace when driving on rural roads to assist stop the incidence of additional incidents.”

The spokesman famous that the Freeway Code was revised in January 2022, setting the advisory pace for passing riders or horse-drawn autos to 10mph with at the very least 2m area.

The RAC survey discovered that 48% imagine that some 60mph limits on unclassified rural roads ought to be decreased.

“The latest enhance within the proportion of drivers admitting to dashing on 60mph rural roads is extraordinarily worrying as extra folks lose their lives yearly in collisions on these roads than on some other,” mentioned Simon Williams of the RAC.

“It’s much more regarding that this determine is now again to the all-time excessive of 48%.

“We expect the Authorities ought to tackle the problem of fatalities on 60mph rural roads by advising roads authorities to cut back limits on probably the most harmful stretches to extra applicable ranges.”

He added that in 2021, 253 folks died in collisions the place somebody was exceeding the pace restrict.

“Drivers generally overlook or underestimate the position pace performs in deadly and critical collisions as they have a tendency to not see it in the identical mild as offences like drink or drug-driving or speaking on a handheld cellphone,” he mentioned.

A Division for Transport spokesman advised H&H: “Whereas we now have among the most secure roads on the earth, we’re dedicated to decreasing street collisions by tackling harmful driving.

“Native authorities have the ability to set native pace limits, and we are going to all the time think about what further measures will be explored to successfully improve street security.”

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