Horse & Buggy Crash Kills 1
A fatal crash occurred on Tuesday afternoon involving an Amish Buggy on northbound US 42.
A car driven by Robert Kanuch of Nova, Ohio struck an Amish buggy that was heading northbound on US 42. The driver of the buggy, Jacob Swartzentruber of Polk, Ohio, was thrown from the buggy after the collision.
Swartzentruber was taken to Cleveland Metro Hospital via life flight.
With serious injuries from the accident, he was pronounced dead at 1:40 p.m., but Kanuch was not injured in the collision.
While the crash is still under investigation, our thoughts are with the Swartzentruber family as they go through this difficult time.
Driving Through Amish Town
When driving through the state of Ohio, you are bound to go through an Amish community at one point or another. Driving through these communities is different than when you are on the highway as there are horse-drawn buggies on the roadways. With over 120 buggy accidents each year, our office would like to bring attention to the recommended driving tips for vehicles as they travel through Amish communities.
Horse-drawn buggies move at an average speed of five to eight miles per hour. When pulling farm equipment, they can go even slower.
The driver of the horse-drawn buggy may have blind spots due to equipment hauled behind them including loads of hay. It is important to be cautious when passing horse-drawn farm equipment.
A second thing to take into account when driving through an Amish community is that rural roads are often more narrow than city streets, giving you less room to maneuver your vehicle when passing others, including horse-drawn buggies. Loose gravel can be hazardous and open ditches often line the rural road.
Thirdly, keeping an assured clear distance is more important than ever when behind a horse-drawn buggy. “Closure time” can save lives and gives you the necessary time to respond to the actions of the buggy in front of you. Buggies tend to roll back after stopping at a stop sign or light, so it is good to keep 10-12 feet of clearance between you and the buggy.
Lastly, as soon as you see a slow-moving, horse-drawn buggy, slow down.
Do not wait to react. The time you have to stop your vehicle without hitting a buggy in front of you is significantly less than when a motor vehicle is in front of you.
The added few minutes onto your trip do not compare to an accident with a horse-drawn buggy. Be patient and follow the above tips and your drive through Amish town will be a breeze.
Amish Town Car Accident
If you have been involved in an accident with a horse-drawn buggy due to someone else’s failure to follow the above driving tips, call or Ohio accident attorneys.
