Mindfulness: safety benefits for drivers
A new video resource has been produced to promote the safe overtaking of horses and cyclists with mindfulness techniques. Inappropriate overtaking is one of the key problems faced by cyclists and horse riders, which is typified by another vehicle approaching too quickly or too closely, and then passing without sufficient lateral clearance or at too high a speed.
This can destabilise a bicycle and frighten a horse. Drivers overtake too close and too fast for a number of reasons: they may not know what distances and speeds are safe to adopt when overtaking, they may be prompted by negative attitudes towards a particular group of vulnerable road users, or they may be responding to in-the-moment emotions, such as frustration or anxiety.
The videos, produced by The British Horse Society, Nottingham Trent University and Esitu Solutions, thanks to funding from The Road Safety Trust, show that mindfulness has many potential benefits for drivers including the removal of distractions, increased focus, and emotional regulation.
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