NZ Trucking Association's Carol McGeady shares a few handy tips on how truck drivers can safely navigate livestock on roads
Our roads are a vital link for transport and logistics, with trucks playing a central role in keeping our economy moving. However, alongside the freight and goods trucks carry, they also share the road with a variety of users — cars, cyclists, pedestrians, and livestock. Truck drivers must be especially mindful when encountering animals on rural and suburban roads, whether it’s horses, cattle, sheep, or other animals.
As professional drivers operating large, powerful vehicles, truck drivers bear a heightened responsibility to ensure safety for all road users. The size and noise of trucks can be overwhelming to animals, and accidents involving livestock can have severe consequences for both people and animals. Therefore, recognising and responding appropriately when sharing the road with livestock is crucial to preventing accidents and ensuring road safety.
Our rural roads are often narrow, with limited space for passing. When livestock or horses are on or near the road, there might be even less room to navigate safely, increasing the likelihood of incidents if extra care is not taken.
Livestock and animals are unpredictable by nature. A sudden movement from a sheep or a startled horse can create hazardous situations for truck drivers and other road users.
Safety measures
To ensure the safety of livestock handlers, animals, and truck drivers themselves, adopting certain practices is important:
Slow down: As soon as you spot livestock or animals on the road, reduce your speed. This is especially important when approaching animals from behind, as your truck’s size and presence may already be a cause of discomfort to the animals. Slowing down gives the animals and their handlers time to adjust and reduces the risk of accidents.
Pass wide and slow: When passing animals — whether they’re being herded along the road or ridden, as with horses — it’s critical to maintain a wide gap. Trucks require more space than smaller vehicles, so ensure you give plenty of room to avoid startling the animals. A slow, careful approach minimises the risk of any sudden animal movements.
Be patient and polite: If you encounter livestock crossing the road or moving along it, patience is key. Don’t try to hurry the handler or the animals by honking your horn or revving your engine. These actions can cause animals to panic, increasing the likelihood of accidents. Instead, wait for a safe moment to pass or, if necessary, stop completely until the road is clear.
Avoid sudden noises: Loud noises from trucks — whether it’s air brakes, horns, or sudden engine revving — can easily startle animals, particularly horses. Truck drivers should avoid creating unnecessary noise when near animals, especially on rural roads where animals are more likely to be encountered. Keeping noise to a minimum helps maintain a calm environment for everyone.
Navigating narrow roads and bridges: If livestock or horses are present on narrow roads or bridges, the best course of action is to slow down considerably or stop if needed. Attempting to squeeze past could lead to dangerous situations for the animals and the handlers. Give the handler time to guide the animals to a safe position or wait until the road widens before attempting to pass.
Use dipped headlights at night: At night, the bright lights of a truck can disorient or frighten animals. When approaching animals on the road after dark, dip your headlights to prevent startling them. This helps the handlers maintain control over the animals and ensures safe passage for everyone.
Truck drivers play a critical role in road safety, particularly when encountering livestock. By being patient, slowing down, and passing wide, they set a professional standard that keeps roads safer for all. Accidents involving livestock can result in death, serious injuries, damage, and financial loss, but a calm, cautious approach helps prevent these risks.
As operators of the largest vehicles, truck drivers are responsible for leading by example. Whether it’s livestock crossing or horse riders on rural roads, adapting driving behaviour ensures everyone — human and animal — reaches their destination safely.