Drivers in Nottinghamshire are being urged to take extra care to help avoid collisions involving deer.
With a recent rise in reports of collisions occurring in Nottinghamshire, those out on the roads are encouraged to be extra vigilant.
The British Deer Society estimates that between 42,000 and 74,000 deer-related collisions occur in the UK every year.
Nottinghamshire Police have a team of seven deer officers who volunteer their time across the county alongside specialist armed response officers to attend collisions with vehicles.
Spring is the time when the first new young of the year tend to appear and cross unfamiliar roads and territory.
There are steps every road user can take to be more deer aware.
Inspector Georgie Newton, Nottinghamshire Police’s deer officers’ team lead, said:
“It goes without saying that motorists should drive carefully and considerately wherever they are in Nottinghamshire.
“But, they should take extra care when deer are more likely to be around.
“Deer are often unpredictable and travel in groups so if you’ve seen one and avoided it, another could follow.
“Stay vigilant, drive with care and be prepared for deer, especially when they are more mobile.
“They can also cause extensive damages to vehicles, and not to mention potential injuries to those in the car.
“Although we can’t hope to avoid all incidents we are keen to do all we can to safeguard these animals and to prevent more serious accidents that may result in deaths or serious injuries on our road.
“I am sure that the vast majority of road users will agree and I thank them in advance for their cooperation.”
What to do if you encounter deer on the road
If you come across deer while driving:
- Don’t veer for deer – taking evasive action may put you or other road users at increased risk of swerving into oncoming traffic or unstable off-road surfaces
If a deer is hit while driving:
- Park your car as safely as possible
- Put your hazard lights on
- If people are injured, call an ambulance
- Call the police
Deer advice for drivers:
- Look out for deer warning road signs and adjust your driving accordingly
- Deer are more visible in May and between October and December, however, the animals are around throughout the year
- Seen one deer? Then look out for another. There is an increased likelihood of multiple deer crossing a road after the first
- The highest risk times are from sunset to midnight and the hours shortly before and after sunrise
- Use your headlights – if you notice a deer in the road, dim your headlights as a full beam may startle the deer and cause them to ‘freeze’ rather than leave the road
If you come across an injured deer at the roadside:
- Pull over at a safe place, turn on your hazard lights, and then call the police
- Provide a precise location to the police. We recommend using the What3words app
- Specialist deer officers will respond and deal with the incident appropriately
- Do not try to assist or move the deer as this can put you in danger of injury and is likely to cause additional stress to the animal
