On remote roads, there is a chance of hitting an animal. Reducing speed and using the horn lower the likelihood of accidents which, in our country, rose by 21 % from 2017 to 2019.
It can happen to anyone. In certain rural areas (and, mind you, in cities too), the likelihood of accidents involving animals increases. Especially if, as has happened in recent years, the wild boar population grows. That is what emerges from the report on road accidents caused by animals in Spain, now in its fourth edition, produced by Ponle Freno-AXA de Seguridad Vial. The first figure that stands out is the rise in these accidents: 21% from 2017 to 2019. A percentage increase directly linked to accidents caused by wild boar, which grew by 47 %.
The period analysed—from November 2017 to October 2019—covers the study of 8,053 accidents caused by collisions with animals. These may be game species, but also domestic animals; in fact, the dog was the second most dangerous animal in 2019 (involved in 20.7 % of incidents). Dogs, roe deer and wild boar shared the podium last year. Other species on the list include goats, hares, foxes, cats…
Galicia, together with Catalonia, was the region with the most accidents involving wild boar (62.2 %), with a particularly high incidence in Pontevedra. Galicia and Castile and León, with 20 % and 22 % respectively, were the areas hardest hit by accidents involving animals. Burgos, specifically, took the prize as the province with the highest number of accidents (7.3 %); Ourense and A Coruña came second and third.
The province of Burgos also topped the ranking of accidents caused by game animals, while Murcia recorded the most accidents involving domestic animals. More than half of the accidents—60 %—took place during the hunting season, that is, from October to January.
What to do in the event of an accident involving animals
Depending on the species in question, the answer will differ. An animal belonging to a game species is not the same as a dog or a cat. In the first case, it is advisable to notify the officers of SEPRONA, who are responsible for these species, immediately. If it is a pet, and you also know the area you are driving through, the right thing is to try to find the animal’s owner.
You need to check on the animal, after first making the car visible with warning signals, to assess the damage and see whether it can be removed, if it has died. Calling a vet, and also the Guardia Civil, if the animal is still alive, are other steps to follow. Never walk away from the situation, as it could end in a fine (of 200 euros for endangering other drivers, if the animal has been left in the middle of the road).
The impact may have damaged the vehicle. In that case, roadside assistance will be essential if it is impossible to continue the journey; likewise medical assistance, if we as drivers suffer any kind of injury.