Deer advice for drivers

With the number of deer in the UK rising, drivers are more likely to meet them on rural roads. The most recent estimation of population was carried out in 1995, and at that time there were thought to be just over a million deer living in the British Isles.

Numbers of deer are thought to be at their highest since the Second World War, and as they have no natural predators, numbers are continuing to grow, especially in Scotland . There are six types of deer in Britain; fallow deer, muntjac, red deer, roe deer, sika deer, and the Chinese Water deer. Of these, the red and roe deer have the highest population, combined there are thought to be around 860,000, of which 700,000 live in Scotland.

Deer travel where they will, regardless of crossing public highways. The most common times of the year for them to cross roads are between October and December in rutting season, and in May. However, they are seen fairly frequently all year round between sunset and midnight, and just before and after sunrise.

Car accidents involving deer
Each year there are thought to be around 20,000 – 42,000 incidents involving road accidents with deer, although it is difficult to be precise because there is significant underreporting by motorists and no national statistics maintained by the Government.

These accidents are thought to cause around 30,000 – 40,000 deer deaths a year and between 10 and 20 human fatalities and 750-3240 injuries to motorists. As well as collisions with deer, injuries are commonly caused by drivers trying to avoid the deer and crashing into trees, ditches or other cars as a result.

The vast majority (97%) of deer collisions cause damage that is valued at under £1,000 to correct, but each year around 5,500 drivers in England claim on their car insurance for this damage.

Repairs after this kind of accident cost the car insurance industry in England an estimated £6.6 million, but together with associated costs such as insurance excesses, the total is thought to be £10.5 million.

Avoiding collisions with deer
Deer Collisions, an organisation dedicated to trying to reduce the number of accidents with deer, offers the following advice to drivers on lessening the chance of having a car accident caused by a deer:

• Do take note of deer warning signs by driving with extreme caution at or below the posted speed limit. Such signs really are positioned only where deer crossings are likely

• Most deer related traffic collisions occur October through to December, followed by May. Highest-risk periods are from sunset to midnight followed by the hours shortly before and after sunrise

• Be aware that further deer may well cross after the ones you have noticed

• After dark, do use full-beams when there is no opposing traffic. The headlight beam will illuminate the eyes of deer on or near a roadway and provide greater driver reaction time. But, when a deer or other animal is noted on the road, dim your headlights as animals startled by the beam may “freeze” rather than leaving the road

• Don’t swerve to avoid hitting a deer. If a collision with the animal seems inevitable, then hit it while maintaining full control of your vehicle. The alternative of swerving into oncoming traffic or a ditch could be even worse

• Only break sharply and stop if there is no danger of being hit by following traffic. Try to come to a stop as far in front of the animal as possible to enable it to leave the roadside without panic

• Report any deer-vehicle collisions to the police (who should be able to contact the local person best placed to assist with an injured deer at the roadside)

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