‘Code for Countryside Roads’ planned as rural accidents soar
© DACameron Stockimo/Alamy Stock Photo Rural insurer NFU Mutual has announced plans to develop a “Code for Countryside Roads”, after its 2023 Rural Road Safety report showed a significant rise in rural traffic incidents.
Official figures show that rural road deaths have rocketed to a four-year high, with 1,017 people losing their lives on country lanes in 2022 alone – a figure that is up 14% on the previous year.
The new report also highlights the disparity between urban and rural roads, with fatality reports for the latter ranking 72% higher.
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Announcing its call to action, NFU Mutual has said that its new code will pool expert knowledge and advice to make rural roads safer and put an end to the current trend.
Nick Turner, chief executive, said: “Every road death is one too many, and we believe serious conversations need to happen to make rural roads safer for everyone.
“That is why we are announcing a Code for Countryside Roads, which will take in feedback and advice from experts and groups to provide a clear guide to how people should use rural roads.
“We invite members of the public and experts to get in touch with us to feed into the Code and hope the document, once published, will help steer a course towards safer rural roads for all road users.”
The insurer is inviting the public to submit their views on the road safety consultation
Horse riders at risk
Trisha and Jazzy @ Trisha Sarnecka
Latest figures from the British Horse Society (BHS) reveal that rural road incidents involving horses are also on the rise.
In 2022 alone 3,552 incidents were reported to the organisation, of which 82% occurred because a vehicle passed too closely, and 78% because the vehicle had passed too quickly.
Last year, 69 horses died due to road-related incidents.
A keen supporter of the BHS “Dead Slow” campaign, 22-year old equestrian Trish Sarnecka from east Hampshire was sadly involved in a traffic collision while out hacking on country lanes.
The 11-year-old chestnut mare that she was riding, Jazzy, was tragically killed in the incident.
Trish was wearing full high-visibility clothing. She heard a car approaching at speed from behind, before it hit them.
“It all happened so quickly. Within a split second of me turning back round, the driver had hit us. All I heard was a loud bang. I don’t remember falling,” Trish explains.
“I had two broken hands, but I didn’t even realise I was injured. Jazzy was lying on her side and her leg was snapped in half.
“She kept instinctively trying to stand up. I was using my broken hands to try and take her saddle off and keep her down.
“I didn’t feel anything, I was just worried about her. I just remember screaming that we needed to call the vet.”
Despite the tragic ordeal, the driver was not prosecuted due to a lack of evidence.
“He wasn’t speeding because it was a national speed limit road.
“This is one of the issues with country roads – they are often national speed limit, so even though drivers should drive at an appropriate speed for the road conditions, legally they can go very fast.
“Jazzy saved my life with hers – if I had been hit with the same impact she was, I wouldn’t have survived.”