County health agency outlines grant to reduce horse-and-buggy crashes, emphasizing education over regulation

A branch of the St. Joseph Community Health Agency told the Hillsdale County Board on Sept. 9 that a state grant awarded in September 2024 will fund outreach and safety efforts aimed at reducing crashes involving horse-drawn buggies.

The project director (identified in discussion as Chris and representing the agency) said the programs immediate goal is a 15% reduction in buggy-related crashes across three counties by Sept. 30, 2025. The initiative uses GIS crash mapping, a 750-survey distribution (372 returns, 71 from Hillsdale County), driver-education materials and direct engagement with church bishops and buggy users.

"The purpose of this project was really just to raise awareness in the community to this issue," the presenter said, adding that the advisory committee includes sheriffs departments, county road commissions, MSU Extension, Michigan State Police and trauma hospitals. The presenter emphasized partnership: "This has nothing to do with regulation. This has to do with education and talking about how do we make our lives safer for each other." The presentation also repeated a short, clear traffic-safety message used in the campaign: "You have more horsepower, so please have more patience."

County-specific findings supplied to the board noted Hillsdale County appears in local directories as home to more than 1,000 Amish families (of 3,500 listed statewide in a 2023 directory); survey responses from Hillsdale flagged reflective tape and LED lanterns as the most commonly used visibility equipment and aggressive driving, passing in no-passing zones, and poor road shoulders as top safety concerns. Presenters described work with MDOT and county road commissions to adjust pavement markings and rumble strips after bishops and community members provided input.

Commissioners asked for clarifications about the programs duration and enforcement plans. The presenter said the current grant runs through the fiscal year ending Sept. 30 and the agency has applied for 2026 funding; the agency will notify sheriffs departments about large community events so enforcement presence can be increased during times of heavy buggy traffic.

Why it matters: rural counties with horse-and-buggy traffic face unique crash risks that combine vehicle speed differentials with limited shoulder space. The proposed education-first approach seeks immediate, low-cost safety gains through outreach, signage, driver training modules, and cooperative engineering changes.

Looking ahead: the agency will share its interactive GIS crash map with county staff and commissioners and said it can prepare targeted projections if the board requests additional actuarial-style modeling for local wage or enforcement scenarios.