Horse and Buggy Crash Study I: Common Crash Scenarios between a Motor Vehicle and the Amish / Old Order Mennonite Horse and Buggy

Journal of Amish and Plain Anabaptist Studies

Anderson, Cory. 2014.

2(1):79-99.

Narratively reconstructs 76 Pennsylvania motorist/buggy crashes from police and news reports
Four major crash types: motorist rear-ends buggy, motorist fails to pass buggy, buggy attempts to cross/enter main road, and buggy driver attempts left turn off main road.
Major contributing factors include motorist carelessness (intoxication, unsafe passing), miscommunication (buggy turn signals), motorist miscalculating buggy speed (attempted pass but hits back-left buggy corner), and view limitations (obstruction, sun’s glare, distractions).
Challenges assumption that conspicuity (motorist just didn’t “see” buggy)—often the focus of safety improvements such as rear buggy markings—is a foremost factor in crashes
Provides data-driven examination of crash scenarios focusing on interactions of factors rather than single attributions, suggesting safety improvements targeting crash types rather than general “visibility”