WATCH

out for deer on the road. The coming weeks mark the breeding season and will see ‘a significant rise’ in the risk of collisions, warns road safety organisation GEM Motoring Assist.

Up to 75,000 deer are killed in collisions each year on UK roads, claiming between ten and 20 human lives, with more than 400 injuries. The cost of vehicle damage alone is estimated at £17 million.

GEM road safety officer Neil Worth says deer movements peak at dawn and dusk. ‘You may have only a very short reaction time. But don’t swerve too hard to avoid hitting a deer,’ he says. ‘If a collision seems inevitable, hit it while maintaining full control of your car. The alternative of swerving into oncoming traffic or a ditch could be even worse.’