Driver alert over deer as clocks turn back

motorists have been urged to beware of deer venturing on to roads as the clocks go back this weekend.

Crashes involving deer peak at this time of year as they feed on verges near roadsides, says scottish Natural Heritage (sNH).

Up to 9,000 collisions between vehicles and deer occur every year, resulting in 50-100 injuries to motorists, a report by sNH and transport scotland shows.

With night falling earlier as the clocks change, the highest risk is during morning and evening rush hours.

Now electronic roadside messaging signs will warn motorists of the high risk of deer on roads on trunk roads in west and north-west scotland from monday until November 20. the signs will target routes with higher rates of deer collisions, including the A9, A87, A82, A85 and A835.

sNH deer officer Jamie Hammond said: ‘From october to December deer move to lower ground for food and shelter. they can suddenly appear before you have time to brake.

‘if you do hit a deer, report it to the police as the deer may be fatally injured and suffering.’

in the past 50 years, the number and range of wild deer has increased, while the volume of road traffic has almost doubled.

this has led to higher deer collision rates, with the greatest surge in Aberdeenshire, Fife and the Central Belt. this corresponds with a rise in the number of roe deer, which are highly adaptable to lowland habitats.