New research by the AA has highlighted a year-on-year increase in deer-related road collisions since 2021.
AA Accident Assist revealed that 276 AA members hit a deer in the 2024 rutting season, compared to 195 during the same period in 2021. This represents a year-on-year increase with 222 incidents reported in 2022 and 242 in 2023.
Even outside of rutting season - which is between mid-September and early November - deer strikes have continued to rise. With 1054 incidents reported in 2021, 1,304 reported in 2023 and 1,200 so far, in 2024.
A recent poll by AA Accident Assist revealed that only 51% of motorists slow down or are more vigilant after seeing a deer warning sign. 39% of respondents said they continued at the same speed while trying to be aware of their surroundings. Only 6% of participants said they slowed down, while 3% admitted to making no changes to their driving behaviour.
Concerned by the figures, AA Accident Assist are reminding drivers of the dangers of not heeding deer warning signs this Road Safety Week (17th- 23th November).
Managing director of AA Accident Assist, Tim Rankin, said: “Deer are wonderful animals, yet sadly, too many are needlessly hit or killed on our roads. With half of drivers not taking animal warning signs into consideration, we need to better understand the realities of animal strikes.”
“While clearly shocking and distressful for both animal and driver, deer strikes can cause hundreds, even thousands of pounds worth of damage.”
As well as causing costly damage to vehicles, deer strikes are responsible for numerous human injuries and fatalities on the road. Between 2021 and 2023 alone, 6 people have died in deer strike incidents, 302 drivers have been seriously injured and a further 659 have been slightly injured.
