In the darker months of the year, the number of accidents with wildlife goes up significantly, also in Vogelsberg. Such a collision with a car is dangerous for animals and humans, plus the economic damage. That is why the hunting club and the police advise driving slowly, especially at dusk.
Every driver fears the situation that a deer or wild boar will jump in front of the car at dusk. Then he can only hold the steering wheel and brake sharply. Especially in these weeks there is a high risk of being involved in a wildlife accident. And there are more and more, as registered by the police. In the previous year their number rose to 1,144, and this year there were already over 1,000 (see box).
Insurance companies are hit by the consequences. According to the German Insurance Association (GDV), wild animal accidents reached a record high last year. In 2019, the industry recorded 295,000 such vehicle damage across Germany and thus more than ever before. The damage is also becoming more expensive every year.
Gothaer Insurance alone registered 3847 vehicle damage from wild animals in 2019, an increase of 12.5 percent over the previous year. The comprehensive damage caused by accidents involving wildlife at Gothaer increased by almost 18 percent from 2018 to 2019.
The East Hesse police recently warned of the risk of accidents involving wildlife. With 3,043 accidents with wildlife, the number of cases in East Hesse actually increased slightly by 156 accidents in comparison to the previous year. People are rarely harmed in these accidents, but animal suffering is great.
Motorists should
Dim the light
The increasing danger alarms the Vogelsberg hunters. Mario Döweling from the Alsfeld Hunting Association asks drivers to be particularly careful, especially in the evening and morning hours from around an hour before dusk. He himself is then only on the road at 80 km / h. In fog, slippery roads and rain, you should drive a little more cautiously.
Another way to reduce the risk is the hessenWarn app. If there is a probable risk of deer crossing on certain routes, the app sounds the alarm. The driving style should be adjusted regardless of this, suggests the police in East Hesse.
Traffic experts and surveyors agree that speed is a major factor in preventing accidents involving wildlife. The lower the speed, the greater the chance of coming to a stop in time. Automobile associations have shown in crash tests with game that serious damage to the car occurs at 80 kilometers per hour, but that the accident can take place without injuries for the occupants. If you drive 80 instead of 100 kilometers per hour, you also shorten the braking distance by 25 meters.
Another tip from the police: if an animal is on the side of the road, you should slow down, dim the light and sound the horn. The eyes of wild animals are more sensitive to light than those of humans. High beam makes them disoriented. The horn helps wild animals to orientate themselves acoustically and to flee.
If a collision cannot be avoided, the following rule applies: Hold the steering wheel firmly and do not swerve. Otherwise you might end up in oncoming traffic or the vehicle will skid. After a collision, the scene of the accident must be secured. This includes: Switching on the hazard warning lights, setting up the warning triangle and putting on a warning vest. If the animal is injured, even if it has fled, the police should be informed.
The direction of escape of the animal can be marked with a handkerchief or chalk. The police will contact the responsible hunter. Police and hunters issue the wildlife accident certificate for the insurance company.
Another tip from the police: never touch or take the animal with you. Anyone who simply takes dead game with them after an accident is liable to prosecution. The police offer further tips on Instagram and on the Internet at www.polizei.hessen.de.
Mario Döweling also emphasizes that in the event of a collision you should definitely report the accident. This also applies when the animal is gone and the car has not been damaged. Then the hunting tenant can search and avoid unnecessary animal suffering. “We keep killing animals with healed accidental injuries, some of which are several years old, which then drag themselves through on three runs or are very emaciated,” reports Döweling.
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