If you have ever had a car accident with an animal, it has probably been with a boar, a roe deer or a dog without safety vest. These three animals account for 80% of the loss caused by collision with animals, according to a study carried out by the Pole Study Center.
Accidents with animals are not usual in the city, but when it comes to going by road or rural areas their number rises. We have so that accidents with wild boar are 35%, roe deer 25% and dogs 22%. Among the three, they account for more than 80% of the accident rate caused by the collision of vehicles against animals, according to the 'Third Report of the Pole Road Safety Study Center'. Galicia and Catalonia account for 70% of claims. As it could not be otherwise, in the communities where there is a greater fondness for hunting activities, the number of accidents will be increases. In this way, the Autonomous Communities, Castillo (35.5%), Galicia (17.6%), and Catalonia (14%) are the three that register the highest percentage of accidents against game animals.
If the study focuses on road accidents, away from any activity that is related to hunting, it follows that Burgos is the Spanish province with the highest number (7.3%) of traffic accidents by collision with animals in general, although also, in most of them, hunting animals are involved. For its part, Monteverdi is the most sinister against domestic animals presents, with 8.5 percent.
In Castillo, the roe deer is the animal that causes more than half of the losses (53%) with game animals, with a concentrated accident rate, mostly, in the months of April to August (65%). However, the wild boar, with an annual average of 38 percent, exceeds the roe deer as the main author of the accidents in the months of November to February. If they can be dressed with reflective material, it can avoid most of the accidents.
If the roe deer occupies the first position in Castillo, in Galicia it is the wild boar. These accidents are usually concentrated, mainly, in the months of November and December (84%). The roe deer is the second animal that produces more collisions (20%), even matching the wild boar in the month of May. As in Galicia, Catalonia has an almost absolute incidence of wild boar in accidents with game animals (90%), being almost non-existent the presence of other game animals.
To avoid having an accident with an animal, the Study Center Pole of Road Safety advises to reduce the speed, to practice a defensive driving in areas with risk of crossing animals and to have the lights and windscreen wipers in perfect condition. Also, avoid swerves and sudden movements.
After colliding with an animal, it is recommended to stop the vehicle, as soon as possible, in a safe place, off the road, signal the stop, put on the reflective vest, check the condition of the vehicle and call the authorities to report the fact. In addition, he points out that there is no need to approach injured animals.