Trucker sees too many close calls between cars and horse-drawn buggies – and wants that to change

Kitch Radke spends a lot of time on the road — and is often frustrated by what he sees.

As a truck driver for a New Hamburg, Ont., feed mill, Radke's typical day could involve driving to a farm 300 kilometres away, often passing by Old Order Mennonite communities. 

Too often, Radke sees drivers race past horse-drawn buggies as though they were just another vehicle on the road.

"I think people get the impression that if [a horse] is hooked to a buggy, it's just going to stay on the shoulder of the road and nothing bad will happen … And this is not the case," said Radke, a driver for BW Feed and Seed.  

In fact, Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) say horse-drawn buggies are among the slowest and lightest vehicles on the road, putting them at a greater risk for injury if a collision happens. 

Across the province, there have been eight collisions between vehicles and horse drawn buggies this year, according to OPP. Since 2018, there have been between 16 and 21 such collisions a year, with the highest number during the pandemic in 2020. 

Police say distracted driving is often a root cause of collisions between cars and buggies. 

Country roads tend to be quieter than urban ones. People start to zone out — and may even pull out their phone or another device while in the driver's seat, said Staff Sgt. Scott Griffiths. 

"These are not acceptable ways of driving," said Griffiths, who works with Waterloo regional police.

"We would encourage people to put the phone down, to keep their eyes open and to realize, though, as relaxing as it may be, a drive in the country is filled with hazards that you may not see in the city."

Griffiths said drivers should also make sure their headlights and windshield wipers work well, so they can see the buggies and the buggies can see them. 

Slowing down is also crucial, said Derek Rogers, media relations coordinator for OPP West Region. 

A typical buggy drives at a speed of about 14 kilometres per hour, and Rogers advises drivers shouldn't go much faster when passing by. He said it's also a good idea to wait until there's no oncoming traffic before making an attempt to pass.

"If there's not an opportunity to pass right away, then you're going to have to take your time because safety is paramount," said Rogers.