Amish Sue over Traffic Safety Requirement

As many are undoubtedly aware, people in the Amish community prefer not to use modern technology. Their religion places value on older technology, and in some parts of the country, you can see them traveling down roads on horse-drawn buggies. While many pass these buggies with no real issue, there is an obvious risk of serious car accidents. A recent traffic safety regulation in Ohio may force animal-drawn buggies to install flashing yellow lights – and this directly conflicts with the Amish faith. As a result of this new regulation, the local Amish community has decided to sue the state. 

Traffic Safety vs. Religious Expression

This case highlights a notable legal conflict between religious expression and traffic safety. Some claim that The Amish community argues that they would be forced to violate their own religious faith in order to install these flashing yellow lights. They also claim that this regulation represents an infringement on their First Amendment rights. 

This requirement for flashing yellow lights went into effect in 2022, and it has resulted in over 200 Amish buggy drivers receiving traffic tickets. Obviously, many of these drivers have chosen the route of civil disobedience by failing to install the yellow lights. 

As a side note, flashing yellow lights could be challenging to install for a community that shuns technology. Since the buggy has no power source, Amish buggy drivers would most likely be forced to use batteries. In other words, the use of flashing lights could require them to use more than one type of technology, causing a ripple effect that denigrates their faith even further. If they choose rechargeable batteries, they would need a secondary power source to charge them. 

In previous years, these challenges were addressed with simple reflective tape. Amish were also allowed to hang oil lanterns on the back of their buggies, providing a low-tech alternative to electric lighting. 

Ohio Has Seen Serious Traffic Incidents Involving Amish Buggies

Over the past few months and years, many traffic incidents have highlighted how dangerous buggy crashes can be. In September of 2024, a 16-year-old girl was killed when a truck collided with a horse-drawn buggy in Ohio. Many other incidents have raised alarm bells for Ohio traffic regulators. 

However, it would be unfair to say that Amish buggy drivers are the problem. In 1991, a pickup truck driver with a suspended license crashed into a horse-drawn buggy, killing six people in Ohio. You might argue that there is not much difference between a bicycle and a horse-drawn buggy. 

The Amish community also argues that they are being unfairly targeted by traffic authorities. One reported incident involved police setting up a roadblock near an Amish gathering, knowing that each of these vehicles would lack the required yellow lights when leaving the event. Each Amish driver was issued a ticket. 

The problem with buggies is their low speed. Most travel at a pace of about 10 miles per hour, and this difference in speed is a leading cause of most traffic collisions. Vehicles that drive at approximately the same speed are much less likely to collide with one another. 

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Each month, various cases test the nature of religious rights in this country. While the basis for many religious rights is the United States Constitution, there a

re still countless cases that question the exact nature of these rights. The Universal Life Church’s blog is focused on documenting the most noteworthy of these cases in an objective manner that can be easily understood by readers.