Pickup Trucks Mean Literal Murder for Amish Horse and Buggies
Things seem to be getting riskier for the Amish as big trucks slam into horses and buggies. Adults, children, and horses are being killed at an alarming rate. But it seems like pickup trucks are only getting larger and deadlier.
How many horse-drawn buggies are hit by trucks?
There’s no official count for the amount of horse-drawn buggies that are hit by trucks each year. However, over 700 collisions were reported in Ohio between 2009 and 2018.
Plus, there were over 40 incidents reported for Missouri in January 2020. Areas with higher Amish populations have higher rates of deaths and injuries as more buggies use rural roads to get around.
Recently, a horse and buggy were hit in an intersection in Maryland. The horse was killed and all four passengers, including an infant, were ejected and injured. But the passengers in the truck were fine.
Just a few days ago, another buggy was struck in New York, killing one man and seriously injuring one teen.
In August an Amish couple was killed after their horse-drawn buggy was rear-ended by a pickup truck. The husband and wife were 71 and 70.
In September, a one-year-old and three-year-old child were both killed after a buggy was struck by a truck. Another four people were injured.
We could continue listing recent accidents all day because buggy crashes are more common than you think.
Typically pick-up truck drivers don’t see the buggies until it’s too late. But in other cases, the horses can get spoked, causing the buggy to get in the way of oncoming traffic.
Are Amish buggies allowed on the road?
Yes, Amish buggies are allowed to take local surface streets for transportation. They are not allowed to use the interstate.
Also, some states require buggies to have lights and a slow-moving vehicle sign on the rear to increase visibility, but other states are much more relaxed.
Kids can start driving buggies at any age. There’s no driver’s license or testing required. Buggies are a little faster than expected too and can travel at speeds up to 20 mph.
