Purdue News

July 9, 1999 Take care when driving in Amish country WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- Drive carefully if you're visiting Amish country this summer to pick up tips on how to deal with the possible Y2K problems or just to taste a slice of the simpler life. You'll be sharing the road with horse-drawn buggies. As part of their religion, the Amish reject "worldliness" by avoiding modern technology and wearing old-fashioned clothing. They drive buggies instead of cars because buggies keep them closer to home and keep strong the social and spiritual ties in their community. "Another reason the Amish choose to keep using simpler transportation is rooted in their beliefs regarding nonviolence and the sanctity of life," said Bill Field, director of Purdue's Agricultural Safety and Health Program. "They believe that if they drove automobiles, there would be a greater risk that they would cause injury or death to others. In essence, they are more concerned for your safety than for their own." An estimated 134,000 Amish live in North America, three-quarters of them in Pennsylvania, Ohio and Indiana. The largest concentration of Amish in Indiana is in Elkhart and Lagrange counties in north central Indiana. There also are growing communities in Parke County in west central Indiana and in Wayne County on Indiana's eastern border. If you're driving through their communities, Field suggests the following. Slow down. Even the fastest horse is no match for your car. Buggies normally travel at 5 to 8 miles per hour. Allow more braking room than you think you need. An informal survey by Ohio State University found that 42 percent of car/buggy accidents were rear-impact. Don't ever pass a buggy on a hill or curve. Stop well behind buggies at intersections. Horses can back up unexpectedly. Pass buggies with caution. Buggy drivers have very limited vision. Approach horses with caution. They are unpredictable. Diligently watch for reflective markings on buggies, especially during early morning and evening hours. They can be much harder to see than car taillights. In the Ohio State survey, 50 percent of buggy/car accidents happened in the dim light of early morning (5 a.m. to 7 a.m.) or evening (5 p.m. to 7 p.m.) "The more modern time-saving devices we have, the faster people are going," said David Brumbaugh, who drives a buggy near Delphi, Ind. "When they see the slow-moving signs on our carts, it would help if they slowed down." For more information on Amish safety, contact Field or Paul Jones,jonesp@ecn.purdue.edu at the Agricultural Safety & Health Program, Purdue University, 1146 ABE Building, West Lafayette, IN 47907-1146; (765) 494-5013; fax: (765) 496-1356. Sources: Bill Field, (765) 494-5013 Paul Jones, (765) 494-5013, jonesp@ecn.purdue.edu Writer: Rebecca J. Goetz, (765) 494-0461, rjg@aes.purdue.edu Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu To the Purdue News and Photos Page