Roadkill reality: One in five motorists admit to hitting an animal while driving

New research from comparison experts Go.Compare has found that 20% of motorists have hit an animal while driving, as we approach World Animal Road Accident Awareness Day.*

According to the survey, the animals with the worst traffic sense are rabbits (hit by 21% of those who have hit an animal), followed by pigeons (20%) and cats (17%). And surprisingly, 3% said that they’d run over a snake, while 1% had the great misfortune to collide with a cow.

The research also revealed a relatively even split between incidents occurring during the day and at night. 43% of reported having been involved in an accident with an animal in broad daylight, while a slightly higher 45% said the incident took place at night, in dark conditions. 28% said they had hit an animal in low light conditions.

Of those who have hit an animal, over a quarter (26%) said they didn’t stop and carried on with their journey. However, 35% said they stopped and got out of the car, 25% cleared the animal out of the road, and 27% checked their vehicle for any damage.

Only just over one in ten (14%) reported the incident to the police, and 11% took photos.

When it comes to how motorists feel after hitting an animal, nearly two in five (39%) said they were shaken by the incident, while 4% suffered a physical injury. 16% of people reported that they have started driving more cautiously or slowly since the collision, while 14% have educated themselves more about what they’re supposed to do if they hit an animal while driving.

As for their cars, 18% of people sustained damage to their vehicle, while 10% ended up claiming on their car insurance.

Tom Banks, Go.Compare car insurance expert said:  “If you hit an animal while you’re driving, it can be difficult to know what to do – if you hit sheep, horses, cattle, donkeys, mules, pigs and dogs then you must report the collision to the police, as required by law. 

“But there are others, like badgers, cats and snakes which you don’t need to report to the police,  but you should report injured animals to the RSPCA, or notify the local council if the road is obstructed – even if it isn’t you who has hit the animal.  

“And if your vehicle does have damage then let your insurer know, even if you don’t intend to make a claim. Most policies require you to report any accident, incident, theft or loss and failing to do so could invalidate your cover.  Although some drivers worry about higher premiums, disclosure actually protects you - if hidden damage from hitting an animal shows up later, your insurer can refuse to pay out if the incident wasn’t reported. It’s about covering yourself and complying with the policy documents.

“We’ve put together a short guide on what to do if you do hit an animal:

• Stop and park in a safe place with your hazard lights on
• Stay out of the road - your safety is paramount
• Inform the police if necessary or if the road is obstructed
• Call an ambulance if people were hurt in the accident
• Call the RSPCA if the animal is hurt
• Avoid approaching the animal as it might be injured and dangerous
• Take photos of any damage caused for evidence
• Provide your insurance details to witnesses
• Contact your insurer to report the incident even if you don’t intend to claim.”

For more information about traffic accidents involving animals go to: https://www.gocompare.com/motoring/traffic-accidents-involving-animals/