Horse Owners Team up to Make Lorry Driving Safer

We have seen numerous programmes over the years involving cyclists and HGV operators teaming up for combined training that helps both be better road users. But would you believe that there are now horse owners throughout England working on a similar campaign? According to the Horse and Hound Magazine website, that is just what’s happening thanks to the new ‘Pass Wide and Slow’ campaign recently launched in Suffolk.

The campaign aims to help educate lorry drivers about how to pass horses and their riders safely. The group behind the campaign created a petition that has so far garnered 85,000 signatures and was presented to the transport minister this past February (2016). The petition calls for legislation that would make it mandatory for all drivers – regardless of the vehicle being operated – to pass horses slowly while giving a wide berth.

In their attempt to make lorry driving safer, the group is working with the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents to educate professional drivers about sharing the road with horses and their owners. However, their campaign also advocates for other vulnerable road users including pedestrians, cyclists, and the elderly and disabled.

The DVLA currently provides new, unlicensed drivers with information about passing horses safely. Campaign founder Christine Brindle hopes to take that information and adapt it to the education efforts being undertaken by her group.

All of Us Have a Responsibility

We applaud Christine Brindle and her husband, John, for the work they are doing on behalf of horse owners throughout the UK. Their efforts are shedding light on the fact that horses need to be treated with care when we encounter them on the roads. Hopefully, the work they are doing will pay off in ways that significantly reduce the risks for both horse riders and vehicle operators.

In light of the Pass Wide and Slow campaign, we want to take this opportunity to remind our former students and the industry as a whole that we all have a responsibility to create safer roads. Safe lorry driving is especially critical given the fact that our vehicles are larger, heavier, and harder to control than almost anything else on our roads and motorways. We owe it to the general public – and to the most vulnerable road users – to be extra careful in everything we do.

Rest assured that our lorry driving programmes focus heavily on road safety. We teach drivers the rules of the road, industry best practices, and what is expected of them by the general public. Our desire is to train the safest drivers in the industry who will represent their employers, and us, well throughout their careers.

If you are interested in learning more about lorry driving as a career choice, do not hesitate to contact us. We can answer any questions you might have about the training process including what it costs, how long it takes, and what you can expect in terms of finding a job upon completion of training.

Sources:

1. Horse & Hound – http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/pass-wide-slow-riders-provide-training-lorry-drivers-541215