GEM Motoring Assist is calling on drivers to be extra vigilant in parts of the country where deer are common, as this is the time of year when they are more likely to stray onto roads.
The latest THINK! Country Roads film also shows a collision between a car and a deer.
David Williams, GEM chief executive, said: “During the rutting season, deer are on the move and we are urging drivers to be careful. October is breeding time, and that means deer will be more prevalent.
“Deer are at their most active during the rutting season at dawn and dusk, so their activity coincides with times when the roads are at their busiest, through the morning and evening rush hours.”
GEM says that there are more than two million deer in the UK, and points to research which suggests that around 75,000 are involved in vehicle collisions each year, with 10,000 deer killed as a result.
The human death toll from deer collisions ranges between 10 and 20 annually, and industry estimates put the cost of damage to vehicles to be at least £17m.
GEM has issued advice for drivers to reduce risk from deer collisions which includes: taking note of deer warning signs and being ready to encounter a deer at very short notice; dipping headlights because deer are more likely to ‘freeze’ in full beam; and being prepared to hit a deer head on, rather than swerve out of its way and risk a collision with oncoming traffic.
Do the DfT intend to do an ad for every hazard and obstacle one may encounter on such roads? One ad would suffice surely, with the advice not to drive like the idiot in the clip – straight line or bend – that way you’ll be more able to avoid people, other vehicles (tractors included), deer, wildlife generally, fallen trees etc.
Hugh Jones, Cheshire
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