Causative Factors of Crashes between a Motor Vehicle and the Amish and Old Order Mennonite

109 Pages·2017·4.73 MB·English

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Theses and Dissertations Graduate School
2008
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Cory Anderson
Virginia Commonwealth University
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Title Page

Causative Factors of Crashes between a Motor Vehicle and the Amish and Old
Order Mennonite Horse and Buggy

A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
Master of Urban and Regional Planning at Virginia Commonwealth University.

by

Cory Alexander Anderson
B.S. in Geography
James Madison University, 2006

Committee Chair: Dr. Xueming (Jimmy) Chen
Associate Professor
Masters of Urban and Regional Planning (MURP) Program

Virginia Commonwealth University
Richmond, Virginia
November 2008
Acknowledgements 

My desire is for this study to preserve lives, allowing God’s people more
time to be useful to Him on this Earth, and to reduce the sorrows that come
from sudden deaths and injuries. Yet, in life, in death, may God be
acknowledged and served in all circumstances. If this research is actually
useful, can actually help reduce the number of crashes, I give thanks to God.
It is to His honor and not to my own.
Those serious, devout, and unwavering plain Anabaptists in all sects,
thank you, for you once showed and continue to show me how Christian
devotion is not a life of self-service and indulgence in the ways of this world.
I would like to thank Everette Burkholder, Old Order Mennonite buggy
shop owner in Dayton, VA, for nurturing my interest in this topic and providing
inspiration in the development of the research questions in this report. Thanks
to the brothers and sisters in Lancaster County who provided lodging, meals,
and friendship on my field trips: Mervin & Ina Lapp and family, David &
Lindsay Schrock, Jason & Cynthia Beachy and family, and Stephen & Harriet
Scott and family.
Thank you to the panelists, Dr. Xueming Chen, Dr. Lori Rice, and Dr.
Gary T. Johnson for providing direction, personal mini-lectures, support and
interest in the topic, encouragement, and feedback and critique; a special
thanks to Dr. Rice for her thorough edits of the document.
Thanks also to those in the more distant past who provided support,
interest, and love on the way: my father and mother, my extended family of
PhD holders (I’m catching up!), grade school friends, brothers and sisters at
Round Hill Baptist Church and Faith Mission Fellowship/Home, undergrad
profs and friends, and especially those handful of people who walked with me
during hard times when I deserved less.
Table of Contents

Title Page...........................................................................................................................................i 
List of Figures, Tables, and Abbreviations........................................................................................v 
Abstract...........................................................................................................................................vi 
Chapter 1 Background and Literature Review................................................................................1 
A.  Rationale.............................................................................................................................2 
B.  Existing Buggy Crash Causation Studies.............................................................................4 
C.  Characteristics of the Horse and Buggy.............................................................................7 
D.  Visibility and Markings.....................................................................................................15 
Chapter 2: Research Design...........................................................................................................20 
Chapter 3: Findings........................................................................................................................25 
A.  Motorist Rear‐Ended a Forward‐Moving Buggy...............................................................30 
i.  Distracted Motorist.......................................................................................................32 
ii.  Positive Grade (Uphill)...................................................................................................32 
iii.  Crest of a Hill or Negative Grade (Downhill).................................................................33 
iv.  Speed‐Related on a Level Surface.................................................................................34 
v.  Other Rear‐End Crash Types..........................................................................................34 
B.  Motorist Attempted to Pass a Forward‐Moving Buggy...................................................35 
C.  Buggy Driver Attempted to Cross or Enter a Main Road.................................................37 
D.  Buggy Attempted a Left Turn off the Main Road.............................................................38 
E.  Other Crash Types or Unclear Classification....................................................................40 
i.  Motorist Attempted to Enter an Intersection from a Local Road.................................40 
ii.  Motor Vehicle and Buggy Hit While Traveling in Opposite Directions..........................41 
iii.  Unclear Classification....................................................................................................41 
Chapter 4: Interpretation of Findings............................................................................................43 
A.  Motorist Rear‐Ended a Forward‐Moving Buggy...............................................................43 
i.  Distraction.....................................................................................................................44 
ii.  Positive Grade and Level Surface, Speeding.................................................................44 
iii.  Crest of Hill/Downhill....................................................................................................49
iv 

B.  Motorist Attempts to Pass a Forward‐Moving Buggy......................................................50 
C.  Buggy Driver Attempted to Cross or Enter a Main Road.................................................54 
D.  Buggy Attempted a Left Turn off the Main Road.............................................................56 
E.  Other Crash Types or Unclear Classification....................................................................58 
F.  Other Potential Causative Factors....................................................................................58 
i.  Intoxicated Motorist......................................................................................................59 
ii.  Buggy Driver Age and Behavior.....................................................................................59 
iii.  Frightened or Unruly Horse...........................................................................................60 
G.  Summary..........................................................................................................................61 
Chapter 5: Limitations and Constraints.........................................................................................63 
A.  Internal Validity................................................................................................................63 
i.  Crash Reconstruction....................................................................................................63 
ii.  Transitional Time Period Classification.........................................................................64 
B.  External Validity................................................................................................................64 
i.  Similarities and Differences with Other Communities..................................................64 
ii.  Results in Other Studies................................................................................................66 
iii.  Conclusion..................................................................................................................... 66 
Bibliography...................................................................................................................................68 
Appendix........................................................................................................................................73 
A.  Police Crash Report Form.................................................................................................74 
B.  Crash Narratives...............................................................................................................80 
C.  Characteristics of Crashes by Angle Struck......................................................................97
v 

List of Figures, Tables, and Abbreviations

Figure 1: Horse and Buggy, Side.........................................................................................8 
Figure 2: Horse and Buggy, Rear.........................................................................................9 
Figure 3: Horse and Buggy, Market Wagon........................................................................9 
Figure 4: Horse and Buggy, Open Wagon.........................................................................10 
Figure 5: Horse and Buggy, Flatbed..................................................................................10 
Figure 6: Horse and Buggy, Custom Designs....................................................................11 
Figure 7: Horse and Buggy, Rear Markings 1......................................................................1 
Figure 8: Horse and Buggy, Rear Markings 2......................................................................1 
Figure 9: Horse and Buggy, Rear Markings 3....................................................................13 
Figure 10: Horse and Buggy, Rear Markings 4..................................................................14 
Figure 11: O'Clock Impact Point........................................................................................32 
Figure 12: Sun’s Glare 1....................................................................................................46 
Figure 13: Sun’s Glare 2....................................................................................................47 
Figure 14: Sun’s Glare 3, Buggy Passing Buggy.................................................................48 
Figure 15: Horse and Buggy, Passing Options...................................................................52 

Table 1: Number of Crashes by Crash Type......................................................................25 
Table 2: Select Causative Actions by Motorist, Statewide and Buggy..............................26 
Table 3: Demographics of Buggy Drivers and Motorists..................................................27 
Table 4: Environmental Conditions at Time of Crash by Type..........................................28 
Table 5: Road Location Type, 2006 Statewide and Buggy Crashes..................................29 
Table 6: Impact Type, Statewide and Buggy Crashes.......................................................29 
Table 7: Motorist Rear‐Ended a Forward Moving Buggy.................................................31 
Table 8: Motorist Attempted to Pass a Forward‐Moving Buggy......................................35 
Table 9: Buggy Driver Attempted to Cross or Enter a Main Road....................................37 
Table 10: Buggy Driver Attempted a Left Turn off the Main Road...................................38 

ODOT = Ohio Department of Transportation
ODPS = Ohio Department of Public Safety
Old Orders = Old Order Mennonites and Old Order Amish
PennDOT = Pennsylvania Department of Transportation
SMV = Slow-Moving Vehicle
Abstract

CAUSATIVE FACTORS OF CRASHES BETWEEN A MOTOR VEHICLE AND
THE AMISH AND OLD ORDER MENNONITE HORSE AND BUGGY

By Cory A. Anderson, M.U.R.P.

A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
Master of Urban and Regional Planning at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Virginia Commonwealth University, 2008

Committee Chair: Dr. Xueming (Jimmy) Chen, Associate Professor

Horse and buggy transportation is spreading as rapidly as its Amish and Old
Order Mennonite users are, as are buggy crashes with motor vehicles. This
study examines the primary causes of 76 reported horse and buggy crashes in
Pennsylvania in 2006. The main crash types identified include a motorist rear-
ending a forward-moving buggy, motorist failing to pass a buggy, buggy struck
while crossing an intersection, and buggy struck while making a left turn.
While causative factors varied for each crash type, major factors include the
motorist or buggy driver incorrectly comprehending speed differentials, the
motorist acting carelessly around the buggy, and miscommunication between
the motorist and buggy driver. Within these crash types, buggy conspicuity
was neither a major issue nor a possible cause in most.