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Connecticut: Car rams into Horse & Cart on brow of a hill
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by Beaulieu | July 22, 2009 at 12:56 pm
351 views | 2 Recommendations | 15 comments
This comes from Kent County News, 21st July 2009, although cars ramming into horses is not an isolated incident, it is quite common.
In this case, the motorist was uninjured, as cars are better protected with safety features, whereas the female carriage driver, who only wore a helmet, was propelled onto the motorist's roof in the intense force of the crash. The horse injured a leg and the Kent News article did not state whether it had to be put down.
"Coventry Police were called out to the area of Plainfield Pike on Monday evening for a reported motor vehicle accident, but what they found when they arrived was something much different. Officers arrived in the area of 320 Plainfield Pike at approximately 5:30 on Monday evening to find that a horse and card had been struck by a vehicle.
According to Lt. John MacDonald of the Coventry Police Department, a 31-year-old female from Connecticut, who at this time is not being identified, was driving a Connecticut vehicle westbound when she reportedly came over the crest of the hill and struck the horse and carriage, which was being operated by a 50-year-old Coventry woman, who is also not being identified at this time.
MacDonald said the operator of the vehicle told officers after they arrived that she had attempted to stop, but was unable to and struck the back of the carriage. This impact apparently caused the carriage to lose control because MacDonald said when officers arrived on the scene they found the woman, who had been operating the cart, had been thrown from the carriage and was lying facedown on the roof of the vehicle.
MacDonald said the vehicle in the accident also sustained “heavy damage to its grill, front hood and roof,”.
He said the accident is still under investigation by the police department, but at this time, there doesn’t appear to be any charges placed against either party."
The article, however, did not state the speed limit of the road, whether there were any road safety warning signs such as slow, bend or horses and whether any breath tests were made. The article fails to mention whether speeding is frequent in the area. The driver was unable to stop in time, so the speed of the vehicle should need to be taken into account.
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Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (15)
at 13:47 on July 22nd, 2009
If you are a horse rider, have you been hit by a motorist? tell us your experiences.
at 13:43 on July 22nd, 2009
If anyone has any more details on the speedlimits and road safety signs round 320 Plainfield Pike, please update details on this site.Maybe it is on Google Streetview, I am not familiar with the area.
at 13:47 on July 22nd, 2009
Some photos of the area would be helpful too.
at 18:54 on July 22nd, 2009
Thanks,
I don't think I ever heard olf a car hitting a horse and cart.
at 22:25 on July 22nd, 2009
158 - There was a nasty one in Manhattan. The NYPD had to investigate a collision between a horse-drawn carriage and an automobile at Ninth Avenue and West 50th Street on Manhattan's West Side.
at 23:22 on July 22nd, 2009
And in the UK in 2006, from BBC Cumbria:
"A motorist who killed the driver of a horse-drawn caravan on his way to the Appleby Horse Fair has been jailed for a year and banned from driving.
John Thompson, drove into the back of one of two caravans at 70 miles an hour on the A66 at Stainmore on 7 June 2006.
David Ward, 40, of Coxhoe, County Durham, died when his carriage plunged down an embankment into a wall.
Carlisle Crown Court heard how Thompson drove into the back of the carriage pushing it into the one in front and forcing it off road.
It heard that there was no explanation as to why Thompson did not slow down or pull out to pass the caravans."
The court failed to arrange for his car to be crushed but they did ban him from driving for 2 years, although many drivers continue to try and drive despite a disqualification.
at 23:17 on July 22nd, 2009
I have also witnessed a rush hour commuter crash into a horse box.
As an ex-horse and carriage driver, just because one has a horse and carriage, it doesn't mean that some motorists will slow down or leave adequate space. I don't do it anymore!
at 23:19 on July 22nd, 2009
Sometimes some motorists feel that horses on a country road have no right to be there by the state of their driving, though some motorists are very good though but there are a lot of dangerous ones who often overtake on bends and brows on hills on numerous occasions. There is little anticipation. Often there are no 'No Overtaking Signs' which doesn't remind motorists.
at 23:50 on July 22nd, 2009
Another, as you can see, there are quite a few. This one is from a site called Kake.com, this time involving 2 cars.
"An accident in Council Grove last night involving a horse drawn carriage and two cars.
The Morris County Sheriff's Department responded to the accident around 9:45 p.m. last night.
A car crashed into the back of a horse drawn carriage on U.S. Hwy 56 near Council Grove.
Then a second car hit the rear of the first car.
Though two veterinarians tried to save the horse, it had to be euthanized because of the severity of its injuries"
at 23:52 on July 22nd, 2009
Some of the videos online involving cars and horses, are 'only suitable for over 18s', a very unpleasant crash indeed.
at 08:33 on July 24th, 2009
horses being riden or driven have the right of way over all motor vehicles on roral streets
at 09:09 on July 29th, 2009
the articles failed to mention that the buggy operator suffered nearly 20 fractures to her vetebrae and ribs, and the horse was badly injured (but will survive)
she is someone i know (the buggy operator)
I was also told that the car driver did NOT try to stop, the car driver claimed to not even see them till impact.
at 13:24 on July 30th, 2009
Thank you for commenting on the story.
We wish her a good recovery.
at 13:40 on July 30th, 2009
I have always found specialist lawyers the key to getting better justice, ie tenant law and cycling lawyers are a good examples
There are also specialist lawyers on 'horsey things'.
As example, I have found a website called Equine law (though are from UK, there must other ones, more local in the US). They state:
"It covers a vast spectrum of legal issues relating to horses, horse riders and owners, equestrian properties and equestrian businesses.
Experience tells us that equestrian individuals and businesses alike need their legal adviser to have a strong understanding of all things “horse”. It is no good using your long-standing solicitor for any kind of equine legal transaction if they do not know the back end from the front end of a horse!"
at 13:41 on July 30th, 2009
They also may have experience of lots and lots of similar cases.