Safety Advice Deer Hit By Car, what to do after collision. Stay safe and report the incident.

If you hit a deer, please stop when it is safe to do so.

If the deer is alive, take note of the exact location—ideally using the What3Words app—and call your nearest wildlife rescue.

If the deer poses a risk to other road users, please also call the police

• New Arc Wildlife rescue – Please call 01358 701723 for injured or orphaned wildlife.
• Police – 999

Do take note of deer warning signs

Such signs are positioned only where animal crossings are very likely – but they could happen anywhere.

Beware during peak danger periods

Peaks in deer vehicle collisions occur October to December and also in May.

Highest-risk times are from sunset to midnight, and the hours shortly before and after sunrise.

Drive with caution

During danger periods or on roads where hitting a deer is a possibility, drive with caution at or below the posted speed limit.

Seen one? Look for another

Be aware that further deer may well cross after the one you have noticed, particularly during the mating season, but also where deer are in herds.

Use your lights

After dark, do use full-beam 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 over-swerve to avoid hitting a deer

If a collision with the animal seems inevitable, then hit it while maintaining full control of your car.

The alternative of swerving into oncoming traffic or off of the road surface could be even worse. Motorcyclists, are at particular risk when in direct collisions with animals.

Cars behind you

Only brake sharply and stop if there is no danger of being hit by following traffic, use your hazard lights. Try to come to a stop as far away from an animal as possible to enable it to leave the roadside without panic.

Finally, remember to… Stay alert – Deer on Roads

What to do if you see an injured deer on the roadside or hit a deer while driving

If you see an injured deer on the roadside?

• Pull over at the next safe place
• Call the Police. Giving as precise a location as you can. They will deal with road safety issues and have access to specialists who will know the best course of action for the animal if it is alive

If you hit a deer while driving, your priorities, in this order, are:

• Keep yourself and anyone with you as safe as you can
• Park your car in the safest place with hazard lights on. Consider using it to also warn other road users
• Call an ambulance if human injuries warrant it
• Call the Police

If the deer is alive and still visible at roadside:

• It is best not to approach it. Doing so may cause it to run across traffic causing another accident
• It is usually best not to move or handle live deer, you may be injured if they struggle
• It will not benefit from efforts to sit with it or keep it warm
• If you are involved in a deer vehicle collision and require assistance please contact the police

Road traffic accidents involving deer present a major problem in the UK as well as in many other countries in Europe. In the UK there is no system for central Government collation of road traffic accidents involving deer or other wildlife.

The DeerAware.com web site exists to offer basic advice on how to avoid a collision, what to do if involved in a collision and to collect data on the number of accidents.

Our research is the only national effort to collate information that could be used to save lives and improve deer welfare – the information you submit is an essential part of this.

Peterhead.Live on