As motorists enjoy scenic country drives around Lancaster County and beyond, it’s important to keep in mind that Amish neighbors in horse-drawn buggies may be just over the hill or around the corner. And as rural roads are often narrow—giving drivers less room to maneuver or see open ditches around sharp turns—safety becomes even more of a concern.
Both local and out-of-state drivers are often unaware of how and when it is safe to pass a buggy, how much space to allow when passing, or how to avoid a collision in the dark or otherwise dangerous conditions.
We’re taking a look at the data and offering tips motorists can follow to help assure the safety of everyone sharing the roadways.
Horse-Drawn Buggy Accidents: A Look at the Data
According to a Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health study which looked at an area with more than 33,000 Amish people, buggy-related accidents were the second most common cause of trauma in that community. Buggies lack many of the safety features motorized vehicles have, such as air bags, seat belts, car seats, and bumpers that can reduce injuries. In Lancaster County alone, there have been 410 buggy crashes with injuries and ten fatalities over the last two decades, according to data from Penn DOT. Since 2015, Lancaster General Hospital's Level 1 Trauma Center has seen about 134 buggy-crash trauma patients.
Many of these accidents could have been avoided if motorists followed safe driving practices.
7 Tips to Avoid Buggy Accidents
- Slow down when you see an Amish buggy in either lane. Because buggies travel very slowly (5 to 10 miles an hour), you will come up on them much quicker than you think. Reckless drivers may try and pass buggies even when it is unsafe, so you need to be prepared to allow them space.
- Only pass a buggy when it is safe and legal to do so. Wait until there is a single yellow dotted line, or single yellow solid line, and you can see a couple hundred feet up the road. When pulling back in the travel lane, the American Trauma Society advises leaving at least 20 feet in front of the horse.
- Do not scare the horse. Give the horse as much room as possible when passing and do not blow your horn which can spook the horse.
- Be careful at night and during severe weather when visibility is low. Although buggies have a reflective material and are usually lighted, they are almost always black or gray (and horses are very dark) and can be difficult to see. Also, dim your lights when you approach a buggy, just as you would with a car.
- Stay several feet behind a buggy at a stop because they tend to roll back.
- Although most buggies stay on the right shoulder, be aware that they merge toward the middle of the road when turning left. Be attentive to their turn signals or hand motions.
- Get off your phone. Be a defensive driver rather than a distracted one. On rural roads, pay attention to hazardous road conditions, such as potholes or loose gravel that could spin your car out of control.
Partnering in our Community
The Trauma and Acute Care Surgery Department at Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health partners with the Amish and Anabaptist communities in a variety of initiatives to improve safety in rural areas of central Pennsylvania:
- Annual Farm and Family Safety Days at rural fire departments offer education on hazards.
- Amish Safety Committee meets regularly with Anabaptist leaders to identify risk factors for trauma and implement safety initiatives.
- Free reflective vests are available to increase visibility of people riding scooters and horse-drawn vehicles.
- Free hay hole covers help prevent falls from the second story of barns. Hay-hole falls are a common farm injury, resulting in head and other trauma.
Notes: In the photo above, Dr. Eric Bradburn, Division Chief of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery for Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health, steps into an Amish buggy before touring Lancaster County’s rural roads to understand firsthand the dangers buggy riders can encounter.
Research intern Jalen Landis collaborated with Dr. Bradburn on this article.