Police and equine charities launch new horse road safety films
Devon & Cornwall Police has joined forces with two leading equine welfare charities to launch a new series of short films aimed at preventing collisions and near-misses involving horses on rural roads.
The bite-sized safety videos have been produced in partnership with the British Horse Society and The Mare and Foal Sanctuary, and were filmed at the charity’s Upcott Park Rehoming Yard near Holsworthy in North Devon.
Released on 13 February, the films feature PC Lucy Wyatt from the police Rural Affairs Team alongside representatives from the partner charities, as well as horses and handlers from the sanctuary.
They offer clear, practical advice for both riders and drivers, focusing on road etiquette, hand signals, safe passing distances and speeds, visibility in all conditions, and how to record and report incidents.
‘Pass horses wide and slow’
PC Lucy Wyatt, who leads on equine crime for the force, said motorists should slow to no more than 10mph when approaching horses, avoid revving engines or sounding horns, and leave at least two metres of space when passing.
She said: “I grew up riding horses and have experienced, first-hand, how dangerous it can be when motorists pass too fast or too close."
"When approaching horses and riders on the road, drivers should slow down to no more than ten miles per hour, avoid revving their engine or honking their horn and then pass slowly when safe to do so, allowing at least two metres of space between the horse and vehicle.
“We are committed to reducing the number of people and animals killed or seriously injured on our roads and will continue to work with partner organisations to educate motorists about the importance of passing horses wide and slow. Everyone has a right to use the road. Let's look out for one another and make sure everyone gets home safely.”
The campaign reinforces the long-running “Dead Slow” message, urging drivers to treat horses as vulnerable road users.
National concern
The launch comes amid growing national concern about equine road safety. During a Parliamentary debate in January 2026, MPs cited British Horse Society figures showing 3,118 road incidents involving horses in 2024, with 58 horses killed.
In the South West alone, 384 incidents were reported to the BHS’s Horse i app in 2024. Of those, 102 occurred in Devon and 32 in Cornwall.
Across the region, 22 horses were killed, 19 were injured and six people were injured.
Police say the true number of incidents is likely higher, with many cases going unreported. In March last year, out of 685 submissions to Operation Snap - the system that allows the public to upload dash-cam or helmet-cam footage of dangerous driving - only six involved horses.
The two full-length safety films are now available on The Mare and Foal Sanctuary’s YouTube channel.