10.3 Animals, Animal-Drawn Vehicles and Slow Traffic

Horses, cattle, sheep, goats and animal-drawn carts are less common than they once were, but they still appear, especially on rural roads, and the regulation test still asks about them. The Road Traffic Regulations, 1984 contain a whole Part on vehicles that are not mechanically propelled and on animals.

Rules for drivers of non-motor vehicles and people with animals (reg. 128)

Every person driving or riding a vehicle not propelled by mechanical power, or riding or leading a horse or other animal or beast of draught or burden, must:

1. keep the vehicle or animal as near as possible to the left, except when passing traffic going the same way, which they pass on its right;
2. not overtake a vehicle or animal at or near any corner, or where they cannot overtake safely;
3. not drive, ride or lead it in a way that is dangerous to the public;
4. comply with the lawful directions of a uniformed police officer; and
5. comply with all traffic signs and light signals.

They must not drive, ride or lead an animal while under the influence of drink or drugs to the extent of being incapable of proper control (reg. 129).

Carts and wagons (regs. 131 to 134)

• An animal-drawn vehicle of burden, or a hand cart, must not go faster than walking pace (reg. 133(4)).
• Cart drivers must keep on the left to let others pass on the right, must not obstruct traffic, and must stay close enough to control the animal (reg. 133).
• No one may groom a horse, mule or ass on a road, leave one tied on a road, or place a cart across a road to load it (reg. 131).
• Wagons and carts may stop only as long as reasonably necessary for loading or unloading (reg. 132).
• At night, an animal-drawn vehicle needs a white front lamp on the off side and a red rear reflector (reg. 134), and a hand cart needs a white front lamp (reg. 135).

Restricted hours in Bridgetown (reg. 130)

On the streets listed in Part II of the Fourth Schedule, a person in charge of an animal-drawn vehicle of burden or a hand cart or other manually propelled vehicle of burden may not use them during these hours, unless the day is a public holiday:

Sanitation Service Authority carts used for scavenging are exempt.

Animals in numbers (reg. 151)

An owner of horses, mules or asses must not let them be driven along a road in such numbers or in such a manner as to endanger people on the road. The owner must compensate anyone injured or whose property is damaged by them.

Your duties as a driver

• Stop when asked. You must stop, and stay stopped for as long as reasonably necessary, at the request of any person in charge of a horse or any other animal, or if that person puts up a hand as a signal (reg. 31(18)). A frightened animal can bolt into traffic.
• Animals moving slowly on the road. Barbados test papers ask what to do. Wait or drive slowly. Do not sound the horn or rev the engine to hurry them, and do not drive quickly past.
• Animals crossing. Stop and let them cross.
• Overtaking a horse or cart. Slow down, give plenty of room and pass slowly. Do not pass close by or accelerate hard just past them.
• Unexpected animals. On country roads, expect animals round bends, especially at dawn and dusk. The Ninth Schedule contains warning signs for many hazards. Treat any animal at the roadside as a hazard that may move.

Slow traffic in general (reg. 36)

All slow-moving traffic must keep as near to its left as possible at all times, and the driver of an unladen vehicle must give way to a laden vehicle. Tractors, with or without trailers, are limited to 30 km/h (reg. 87(1)(a)).

When stuck behind slow traffic, be patient. Overtake only when you can see the road is clear and the overtaking rules in regulation 31(6) allow it.

Exam traps

• "Sound the horn to move animals along." No. The horn is only for warning of your approach (reg. 31(16)), and noise can panic animals.
• "Only police can make me stop." A person in charge of an animal can lawfully signal you to stop (reg. 31(18)).