Huge progress has been made on equestrian road safety in the past decade – but any horse killed or injured on our roads is one too many.
This is the message from the British Horse Society (BHS), which has released its incident statistics for last year, but also since 2016 as it marks 10 years of Dead Slow.
In 2025, 2,810 incidents involving horses on the roads were reported to the BHS, taking the total to 19,528 since the road safety campaign was launched in 2016 (see below). Last year’s total was down 10% from 2024, but 59 horses were killed, one more than the previous year, and 86 people were hurt, an 8% rise from 2024.
“I’m really disappointed to see the number of horses killed has gone up slightly but the number of incidents reported has fallen,” BHS director of safety Alan Hiscox told H&H.
“I suppose you could say that if there are fewer incidents, fewer horses will be injured and killed on the road. The number injured has gone down, so I think the slant of the curve is going in the right direction.”
BHS Dead Slow achievements
Major achievements of the Dead Slow campaign include the Highway Code changes introduced in 2022 but Mr Hiscox has also spoken at countless road safety and driver training events, and met MPs, worked with the Government, local authorities, police, safety partnerships and motoring shows across the country.
In the past year, momentum has built; the awareness ride from Lambourn to Windsor, a joint initiative between the BHS and Project EDWARD (Every Day Without a Road Death) led to parliament debates and proposed changes to legislation.
“The issue now is that I don’t want the momentum to drop off,” Mr Hiscox said. “I’m biting at people’s heels. It’s really important that impetus doesn’t fall away.”
H&H reported that equestrians were not specifically mentioned in the Government’s new national road safety strategy but at the parliament debate shortly after this was published, many MPs brought this up.
“Since the debate in January, MPs have written to the department for transport [DfT],” Mr Hiscox said. “It’s keeping it talked about in the corridors of power. And the strategy has also meant we’re involved in conversations. We were working with Project EDWARD anyway, road safety partnerships and the police, but now there’s this basis to work towards.
“I can hang my Dead Slow campaign on these components of the road safety strategy, and it gives me some ideas and structure.
Increase driver awareness
“The Government said the Highway Code changes haven’t had the effect they hoped and they need to increase driver awareness; that’s mentioned in the strategy. If only they’d mentioned horses as part of the vulnerable road users but we can work with councils to try to get speed limits lowered, with autonomous vehicle designers to try to push for elements to identify horses.”
Mr Hiscox has also contributed his thoughts to the Government’s transport select committee and he intends to keep pushing on.
“I’m a one-trick pony,” he said. “I just keep getting our message out. At the start of this, my main aim was Highway Code changes and if someone had offered me that, I’d have bitten their arm off. But if someone had said 10 years ago, we’d be where we are now, I wouldn’t have been sure as it would have taken so much work – but here we are.”
Mr Hiscox stressed, as he has before, that it is vital all incidents and near misses are reported, as this means action can be taken and authorities shown the true picture.
Action can include close-pass driver education operations, road warning signs and driver training. Had the death of a young racehorse in Lambourn not been reported in 2024, none of last year’s progress – the awareness ride or Parliament action – would have happened.
BHS: The community has united
“Over the last 10 years, the equestrian community has come together in an extraordinary way,” Mr Hiscox said. “That collective effort has undoubtedly raised awareness and helped reduce the number of incidents.
“But 59 horses lost in one year is 59 too many. Behind every statistic is a devastated owner, a traumatised rider and a community that feels that loss deeply.
“We must continue to push for an approach that combines education, prevention and enforcement of the rules. We owe it to everyone who loves horses as much as we do and every horse in our lives to make our roads safer. The reduction in reported incidents in 2025 demonstrates that progress is possible. But until the number of horses and riders killed on UK roads is reduced to zero, the campaign’s work is far from complete.”
Project EDWARD founder James Luckhurst told H&H he is “continually impressed by what Alan has achieved” with the BHS Dead Slow campaign.
“It is clear this has been a decade defined by determination, influence and progress,” he said. “At Project EDWARD, we have been privileged to witness the dedication and support a strategy that consistently delivers impactful change, making roads safer for horses, riders and carriage drivers.
“Alan’s work operates at the highest levels, ensuring equestrian safety remains firmly on the agenda across Government, the DfT, local authorities, road safety partnerships and major public platforms. This sustained advocacy has led to significant milestones.
“Project EDWARD remains committed to supporting Alan and Dead Slow with this vital work in driving real change.”
The numbers
2025
Incidents: 2,810
Horses killed 59
Horses injured 82
People killed 0
People injured 86
Since 2016
Incidents: 19,528
Horses killed 559
Horses injured 964
People killed 8
People injured 999
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