Road Casualties

As the nights become longer and the clocks change, we notice a rise in road casualties.

It’s not solely about your driving speed; it’s crucial to be aware of your surroundings and your capacity to stop or avoid a collision without causing an accident or injury.

Helpful Tips and Hints:

• Stay vigilant with road signs and exercise caution in those areas.
• Be mindful of areas where you see dead wildlife and take extra care in those locations.
• If there’s vegetation close to the roadside, wild animals may suddenly appear.
• Wild animals frequently cross at gates or pathways that intersect with the road.
• Use your high beams when the road ahead is clear of traffic.
• Remember that more than one animal may cross at a time, so be patient.
• Wild animals can be unpredictable; think carefully before approaching them.
• Do not approach, touch, or pick up potentially dangerous wildlife such as foxes and badgers.
• Never place an unconscious hazardous animal on the seat or in the boot of your vehicle.

If you hit or encounter wildlife on the road:

Here’s some advice from the RAC:

If you hit an animal with your car, turn on your hazard lights, stop safely, and turn off the engine. Check yourself and your passengers for injuries and exit the vehicle safely—preferably onto the verge rather than into traffic.

If you hit any of the following animals, you must report it to the police:

• Dogs
• Horses
• Cattle
• Pigs
• Goats
• Sheep
• Donkeys and mules

It is illegal to hit any of these animals and leave the scene.

Further advice and information on hitting pet or farm animals, along with dead wildlife and legal issues please read more on their website https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/advice/driving-advice/what-to-do-if-you-hit-an-animal-with-your-car

If the injured animal poses a hazard to other drivers, call the police for assistance at 999.

If you’re uncertain about where to seek help at night, reach out to your nearest emergency veterinary centre for guidance or search online for “wildlife rescue near me.” For more resources, check the map and contacts available on our rescue page by clicking here.

For links to local council websites to report dead wildlife on the roads visit our advice page by clicking here.

Road Casualty Surveys:

There are various online sites or surveys where road casualties can be logged or reported check these out.

Mammals on Road Survey – PTES

The Big Hedgehog Map – Hedgehog Street

Report Roadkill – The Road Lab UK

Mammal Mapper – Mammal Society