For the second time this year, a horse-drawn cart has been involved in a collision with an automobile in Kings County, Prince Edward Island. In response, Transportation Minister Steven Myers says the province is looking into way to improve road safety for cart-drivers.
Thankfully, there were no human injuries and only minor injuries to the horses involved in both accidents. The first incident took place in March. A young driver, under the age of 18, was charged with failing to completely clear his windshield, after he hit a horse-drawn cart with his pickup truck. Last week, a car with two occupants hit a cart with six passengers. The horse sustained a cut on its leg, and was being treated by a veterinarian.
The province is considering changes such as widening the shoulder in some areas where horse-drawn carts are driven frequently and installing more caution signs in these areas. In addition, they wish to consult the Amish community for their feedback, and look to other locations where horse-drawn carts are widely used, such as in Pennsylvania.
In the meantime, road users are reminded to pass slow and wide when they see a horse-drawn cart – just as they would with a pedestrian, cyclist, mounted horseback rider or slow moving farm machinery.
For safety, horse-drawn carts must be marked with an orange triangle and have at least one reflector on the back in addition to a headlight if it’s being driven at night.
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