More than half of UK drivers have hit or experienced a near-miss with an animal on the road, new research has revealed.
Data from GoCompare found 51% of 2,000 UK drivers have had an animal-related incident on the road.
Of those, 68% say they had experienced an incident while on a country road, with 24% saying one had happened while in an urban setting.
The most common blame for accidents or near misses was animals running out on the road in 66% of cases, while 22% blamed driving at night. Speed or distraction was blamed by 8%.
This research did, however, suggest the time of day wasn’t a huge factor in incidents happening, with 32% occurring in broad daylight and 29% in the evening/dusk.
Perhaps shockingly, 68% of respondents said they wouldn’t know what to do in the event of hitting a larger animal.
By law, the police must be informed if a driver hits a dog, horse, cattle, sheep, pig or goat. However, 39% of drivers who had hit an animal admitted to driving on without stopping.
In 27% of incidents, common birds were the victim. Cats fell in second at 23%, while large game birds accounted for 20%.
Lee Griffin, founder and chief executive of GoCompare, said: “Sadly, as our research shows, accidents and near misses with animals on our roads are something most drivers have experienced.
“While some encounters may not be dangerous, a close call with an animal on the road can happen anywhere and at any time. They can leave drivers badly shaken or worse, lead to accidents and expensive repair bills.
“Animals are unpredictable and as a result, these incidents are unexpected but are increasingly common, as we all spend more time in our cars.
“Often the type of animal isn’t the issue. The action taken by a driver to avoid a bird can be just as dangerous as hitting a large mammal.”
jmckeown@thecourier.co.uk