Proper Road Etiquette Around Buggies

While driving the back roads of Lancaster County, you’ll share the road with bicyclists, Amish folks on scooters, and of course, horse and buggies.

You may be asking “what’s the proper etiquette for driving on the road with buggies?” and we’re here to help. Discover Lancaster, along with our friends at PennDOT and Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health, encourage safe road sharing and pulled together a few guidelines for safe driving in Lancaster County!

1. Approach and pass buggies slowly. When it’s safe to pass, make sure your vehicle is least 20 feet in front of the horse before you get back in the travel lane.

2. No horns please! Horses can be spooked easily, especially by loud noises like car horns.

3. Leave plenty of room. While driving, be sure to give the buggy space by not following too closely. It’s also kind to allow a little more room between you and the buggy while stopped, as buggies tend to roll back a few feet after stopping.

4. Observe their driving habits. Horse and buggies will drive as close to the right side of the road as possible, but move towards the center when making a left-hand turn. Many buggies have turn signals, or the driver will use hand gestures to signal.

5. Keep an eye out for horses at night. Buggies are illuminated at night, however, the horse may be dark and hard to see.

We hope these tips will help you to be more informed on your next visit to Lancaster! Thank you for being respectful of the Amish culture.

Source: PennDOT and Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health