Drivers told to slow to 10mph as police launch new Highway Code road safety campaign

The short films, produced in partnership with the British Horse Society and The Mare and Foal Sanctuary, provided practical guidance for both motorists and riders.

The videos covered essential topics including proper road etiquette, hand signals, safe overtaking distances and speeds, visibility considerations, and how to report incidents.

The initiative reinforced Highway Code guidance that motorists should reduce their speed to no more than 10mph when encountering horses and maintain at least two metres of clearance when passing.

The safety campaign follows a parliamentary debate held in January where MPs from across political parties demanded stronger protections for equine road users.

British Horse Society data presented during the Westminster Hall discussion revealed 3,118 road incidents involving horses occurred in 2024, resulting in 58 horses being killed and a further 97 injured.

Dr Danny Chambers, the Liberal Democrat MP for Winchester and a former horse vet, told fellow parliamentarians that equine road safety is "not a niche issue" and described how he has "stitched up and euthanised more horses that have been hit by cars than I can remember".

The debate heard that 81 per cent of incidents occur because motorists pass horses either too quickly or without sufficient distance.

Rule 215 of the Highway Code sets out specific requirements for motorists encountering horses on public roads.

Drivers are instructed to reduce their speed when approaching horses and to exercise patience rather than sounding their horn or revving their engine.

When overtaking, the guidance states that vehicles should pass wide and slow, leaving a minimum gap of two metres between the car and the animal.

The code emphasised how horses are flight animals capable of moving extremely quickly if startled, and reminds drivers that "there are three brains at work when you pass a horse; the rider's, the driver's and the horse's".

Wild and semi-feral ponies found in areas such as the New Forest, Exmoor and Dartmoor require identical consideration to ridden horses.

PC Lucy Wyatt, who leads on equine crime for Devon and Cornwall Police's Rural Affairs team, spoke of her personal experience with the dangers riders face.

"I grew up riding horses and have experienced, first-hand, how dangerous it can be when motorists pass too fast or too close," she said.

The officer stressed that drivers approaching horses should refrain from revving their engine or honking their horn and only overtake when it is safe to do so while maintaining at least two metres of space.

Alan Hiscox, Director of Safety at the British Horse Society, highlighted: "Encouraging more equestrians to record every incident they witness, or are involved in, will be essential when it comes to driving further legislative change."

Motorists with dashcam or helmet-cam footage showing vehicles passing horses too closely or at excessive speed can submit their recordings for police review through Operation Snap.

Jenna Goldby, Head of Welfare and Rehoming at The Mare and Foal Sanctuary, emphasised that riders should treat road safety with the same seriousness as their horse's health. "Be seen, be courteous and stay safe," she advised.