New signage to appear on Charleston horse carriages

Like many large trucks now on our highways, horse carriages in the city of Charleston will soon carry signage reminding drivers to keep a safe distance between their vehicle and the carriage in front of them. The signs will also suggest that drivers refrain from honking their horns unless necessary.

This arrangement is the result of a voluntary agreement between the city and local horse carriage companies, and will not require a change to the ordinance governing horse carriage operations within the city limits.

The new signage is expected to begin appearing on carriages by the end of July.

City of Charleston Livability Director Dan Riccio said, “With so many people traveling to and through our area at this time of year, we thought it would be a good idea to remind visitors, in particular, that following horse carriages – or any other vehicles, for that matter – too closely is never a good idea. We will be watching this initiative closely over the next several months to see how successful it is in practice and whether any additional administrative or enforcement measures of this kind should be brought forward during our next carriage safety review.”