It has been estimated that there are around 200 accidents a day involving deer, and the costs per vehicle, with an average insurance claim costing just £300, could reach as much as £60,000 per day across the UK. That’s over £21 million a year.
As many as 75,000 deer are thought to be hit by cars every year in the UK, the vast majority in England. Gosh, that a staggering statistic! So, a Deer Vehicle Collisions project - the first study to centrally collect data on road accidents involving deer - has been launched.
Administered by The Deer Initiative and backed by the Highways Agency the idea is to educate motorists as many don’t realise that deer-related traffic accidents very often don’t kill the animal outright - which is bad enough - but they have to be either put down by rangers, vets or RSPCA staff afterwards or they escape to die later of their injuries.
What’s more, especially at night in winter fog and rain, they are a major safety hazard to road users and lead to expensive damage to cars, human injuries and even deaths.
Oh dear, oh dear, come on motorists, doen’t hurt the Bambie’s our there. Take note of the Highway Code signs that warn you are entering ‘dear land’. They are large red triangles with a picture of Bambie on them
Doe!
FemaleFirst - Jackie Violet