In the autumn months from October to December, deer, stags and wild boar cross our roads again on their way to their feeding grounds.
Especially at harvest time, deer cross the road at dusk along unclear field or forest edges in search of food or, like deer at the edge of the forest, stay next to the road. They know no traffic rules. The greatest danger is at dawn and dusk, at night and in fog!
During the most active time for wildlife, rush-hour traffic also starts on our roads, which means that the risk of accidents caused by wildlife crossing is particularly high. This overlapping time phase is also repeated after a few weeks due to the time change.
Are there any stretches of road with an increased risk of wildlife crossing?
In principle, deer crossing can occur on all roads, predominantly in areas without residential development. However, there are a few factors that should prompt you to drive carefully:
- On known stretches of road with game crossing, traffic sign 142 warns of game crossing - take this danger sign seriously and reduce your speed, watch the edges of the forest and road carefully.
- However, you should also expect to encounter wildlife outside these areas at the times of day indicated. Another signal for drivers should be the blue reflectors installed by hunters on the delineators at the side of the road. These are a sure sign that game is crossing.
- In wooded areas, speed should generally be reduced.
- On new roads that lead through wooded areas, road users should exercise particular caution, as game maintain their usual routes and changes.
How do I behave when I see deer on the roadway?
- Hold the steering wheel firmly, steer straight ahead
- Brake the vehicle in a controlled manner
- Stay in your lane with the vehicle, swerving often leads to leaving the road or hitting a tree and often has worse consequences than a collision with wildlife.
- Dazzle with high beams
- Make yourself noticed by honking
- Warn following vehicles by flashing your hazard lights
- An animal rarely comes alone! You should always expect "stragglers"!
For safety reasons, if traffic permits, continue driving at walking speed until no more animals can be seen.
What to do in the event of a wildlife accident?
- If there has been an accident with a wild animal, the scene of the accident must first be secured - as in any traffic accident - by switching on the hazard warning lights and setting up the warning triangle
- Wear a high-visibility vest for your own safety
- Inform the police. The insurance company will only settle the claim
- Do not touch the animal!
- Stay at the scene of the accident, but move out of the danger zone. Animals that have been hit can react aggressively!
- The police will inform the responsible hunting authority, which will take care of the animal that has been killed, injured or has escaped. It is therefore important that you remember the direction in which the animal escaped so that the hunter can find the injured animal during the search and put it out of its misery