It was hi vis and the clip-clop of horses at Rabbit Island on 11 October for members of Wakefield and Districts Riding Club, who were there to remind drivers to give them a wide berth and reduce speed.
From 1 October a new law came into effect which requires motorists to leave a minimum distance of 1.5 metres when overtaking horse riders or other vulnerable road users.
It replaces the previous recommended guidance around passing cyclists and is the first time horse riders have been included in a road safety measure aimed at preventing death and serious injury among the most vulnerable road users.
Organiser of the awareness ride, Rosemary Lee-Oldfield, says passing motorists were obedient on the group’s six-kilometre trek on horseback.
She recommends that the public to lower their speed around horses as they can go haywire in response to unexpected movement, noise or proximity.
"If people, even if they're on the other side of the road, could think about slowing down a little bit for horses, that'd be fantastic,” she says.
“Horses can move at 50kmh sideways, so if you have an impact with a passing car, it's still going to be nasty.”
