Pelicans and zebras are a common sight on our roads, and help pedestrians get to the other side of the road in a safe and hazard-free way, but the same cannot be said about horses.
Horses on our roads are a serious threat to safety and, as has been seen over the past few months, they have been the cause of a few accidents resulting in injuries, death to the animals and, over and above, undue stress and road rage resulting from the unending traffic jams such accidents cause.
Recently motorists, pedestrians and animal lovers alike have all entered a discussion on whether horses should be banned from our roads, with petitions on Facebook calling for an end to it.
The antiquated Highway Code does tackle the issue, and lays down a few rules and regulations associated with “animals” on our roads, but enforcement leaves much to be desired.
Although gone are the days when we had more horses than cars on our roads, the occasional encounter with the animal on our main roads has become a serious safety concern for us humans and for the poor animals themselves.
The Highway Code was written when roads where not as congested and traffic-riddled.
Part V No. 81 of the Highway Code, ‘Rules about Animals’, specifically states: “Horse-drawn vehicles should avoid main or busy roads and keep to secondary roads. Horses should not be ridden or led along main or busy roads.”
Although it is not clear which roads are considered to be main and which roads are secondary, I believe that we currently live in a situation where all our roads are very busy, hence the conclusion that horses should not be allowed on our roads is a logical one, at least during periods of intense traffic.
Aldo Moro Road at 6.30am, where the latest unfortunate accident occurred, is surely a busy road.
It’s not the first time that I encountered a horsedrawn carriage at the peak of rush hour in Msida, holding back a large queue of cars and causing an unnecessary potential hazard, besides unnecessary road rage.
I have also witnessed horses being led by a passenger in a car on a main road. Truly Only in Malta stuff.
In this scenario, I also encourage the Traffic Police Division, Transport Malta, the Association of Insurers and the Animal Welfare Associations to present guidelines on what should and should not be done so that everyone has a clear understanding.
Although I have never experienced it, the sight of a stray horse bolting in front of your car must be a horrific one.
Horse owners should be equipped with horse floats, trailers or specific gooseneck vehicles to transport their beasts, thus safeguarding the animals, the drivers and their passengers.
In cases where this is not possible, horses may be led or ridden on second-ary roads only as specified by Transport Malta and at times of least traffic.
Ultimately, if an accident were to happen, and this does not only refer to accidents involving horses, we need to be more efficient in clearing the scene. Response times from tow trucks, emergency services, wardens and police leaves much to be desired, causing delays and stress, especially in peak hours. It is ridiculous that one accident anywhere on the island can cause one national traffic jam with all its repercussions.
motoring@timesofmalta.com