Horse and Buggy Crash Study II: Overstretching the Slow-Moving Vehicle Emblem's Abilities: Lessons from the Swartzentruber Amish

Abstract

For decades, the Swartzentruber sect of Amish have, for religious reasons, rejected state-level mandates for horse-drawn buggies to display the S.M.V. (slow-moving vehicle) emblem. Court cases in several states have suggested: (1) confusion over what the emblem is supposed to accomplish, and (2) questions about the emblem's superiority to alternatives. Synthesizing evidence presented in several court cases involving the S.M.V. emblem and the Swartzentruber Amish, this study clarifies what the S.M.V. emblem can be expected to accomplish and in which domains it reaches its limits. The evidence is organized categorically and presented as a series of cues presented to the motorist. Findings suggest that while S.M.V. emblem serves well as a generic indicator of something demanding attention, it is less effective in symbolic communicating what it is that needs attention and the motorist's approaching time. Further, the S.M.V. emblem may be counterproductive when a motorist passes a buggy, as the bright splash of color draws attention to the center of the buggy rather than communicating buggy width.

Efforts to Improve Roadway Safety: A Collaborative Approach between Amish Communities and a Professional Engineering Society

“…Of course, the goal of lighting and marking products is to attract attention of motorists, who, upon recognition of the buggy, can adjust their speed. The SMV emblem is possibly the most controversial and exclusively debated marking device on animal-drawn vehicles, even resulting in legal conflicts (Anderson, 2014b;Garvey, 2003;Harkness and Stuckey, 1963;Kroeker and Mann, 2010;Lehtola, 2007). Many Amish safety committee members were from communities that had the SMV emblem and lighting on buggies and wagons.…”

The Growth of Amish and Plain Anabaptist Communities in Kentucky

“…Specifically, several Amish communities in Kentucky are composed solely of a conservative variation on the Old Orders, the Swartzentruber Amish. It was men from the Swartzentruber community of Mayfield in Graves County who were jailed for refusing to display the bright orange reflectors on the backs of their buggies (Anderson 2014) and from which the recent legislation emerged. In general, the Swartzentruber Amish also prohibit indoors bathrooms, central heating, window blinds, gas run refrigerators (literally, ice boxes only), and linoleum floors, and in general, technologies that even other Amish from the Old Order would use (Hurst and McConnell 2010).…”

Horse and Buggy Crash Study III: Low Illumination and the Sun’s Glare in Crashes between Motor Vehicles and Amish / Old Order Mennonite Horse and Buggies

“…The government has condoned this mode of transportation, but with some regulations, which often address the buggy's rear markings (Eicher, Bean, and Buccalo 1997;Garvey 2003;Ives and Brotman 1990). Hence, rear markings have become the sorest point of legal contention (Anderson 2014a;Zook 2003). In only a few cases provision has been made for this mode.…”

“…Another study used information from an Amish multicommunity newspaper to tally variables at the time of crash, finding that, of those crashes with a time of day reported, evening constituted the majority, though half of all crashed did not indicate a time of day (Dewalt and Bradley 2013). Anderson (2008;2014a) conducted an in-depth analysis of 76 horse and buggy crashes in Pennsylvania in 2006 and found half of all crashes were a motor vehicle rear-ending a horse and buggy at mid-block. Two foundational causes account for these crashes.…”

“…However, Anderson (2008;2014a) noted the prevalence of several other factors. He noted that nearly half of the rear-end collisions occurred during periods of transitional illumination, and in half of those, the motorist was driving in the direction of sunset or sunrise.…”