All the collisions occurred on Monday, November 5, on provincial road 297 between Trzebień and Golnice (Bolesławiec municipality).

First, at around 6:30 a.m., a 57-year-old resident of Strzelin County collided with the deer while driving a Ford Transit. Two people from the Ford were taken to hospital. Fortunately, it turned out that neither had suffered anything more serious.

Later, drivers of two vehicles hit the deer lying on the road: a 48-year-old man from Bolesławiec municipality, who was travelling in a Volkswagen Passat, and a 49-year-old resident of Warta Bolesławiecka municipality, who was driving a Volvo. Both drivers emerged from the incident unharmed.

(The first to write about the matter was the The Bad Bunzlauer website).

Police are appealing to drivers to exercise particular caution near forests, as well as meadows and fields, where wild animals searching for food often venture onto the road. The simplest way to avoid a collision is—quite simply—to take your foot off the accelerator.

What should you do when you spot an animal on the road?

Every driver should remember to exercise particular caution and pay attention to signs warning of hazards. Animals running onto the road can pose a very serious threat, especially now, when they are searching for food.

This scenario can occur not only in the forest itself, but also at city entrances—anywhere there is even a small amount of greenery.

What should you do if you hit a wild animal?

Remember that when such an accident occurs on the road, you must not leave the injured animal to fend for itself. There are centres where it can receive professional help and have the opportunity to return to its natural environment.

First, secure the scene so that other road users are not endangered. Then notify the emergency services. If the incident occurred in a town, call the Municipal Police (75 644 79 90) or the police (997). If it occurred outside a built-up area, call 112.

When calling for help, the driver should provide the location. The easiest way is to check it on a smartphone or provide the number from the kilometre marker beside the road.

Do not be afraid to call for help. There is no penalty for accidentally hitting an animal. However, fleeing the scene and leaving the animal without assistance is an offence. It is punishable by a fine or imprisonment. A severe penalty is provided for drivers who deliberately hit an animal. Unfortunately, this does happen.

How can you avoid a collision?

  • Above all, slow down and carefully observe the road and its surroundings. If the animal notices you, it should leave your path. If it is not frightened, you can try using the horn and flashing your lights. (You should also be aware that lights may attract the animal’s attention and immobilise it directly in front of your approaching car.)
  • Reducing your speed and carefully driving around the animal is the best solution.
  • You should not get out of the car to scare the animal away, as it may be aggressive.

What do the officers advise?

  • When travelling on forest roads, it is worth following the principle of limited trust.
  • Road administrators place signs warning of wild animals in locations where animal movement is heavy. Remember, however, that these signs do not bind animals, which choose the roads they travel along themselves. (Many people travel at night because they value lighter traffic on the road. However, in forested areas, animal movement increases significantly at this time.)