How to react?

Deer crossing the road: two drivers injured

A rear-end collision occurred in the Völkermarkt area due to deer crossing.

(Bild: dpa-Zentralbild/Patrick Pleul)

A rear-end collision occurred on Tuesday morning due to a deer crossing the road. The risk of getting into such a situation is particularly high in the fall. What should you pay attention to? What should you do?

At around 7 a.m. on Tuesday morning, a driver (54) from the district of Völkermarkt was driving on the Töllerberger Landesstraße from Mittertrixen in the direction of St. Margarethen ob Töllerberg. The woman had to brake due to a wild animal crossing.

The following car of a 24-year-old woman crashed into the slowing car. The 24-year-old was injured in the rear-end collision and was taken to Klagenfurt Hospital by the ambulance service. The 54-year-old also sought medical treatment. Both vehicles sustained considerable material damage.

Accidents like this are to be expected more often in the fall, as rush-hour traffic shifts to dusk in the mornings and evenings as the days get shorter. 

Slow down and honk
A reasonable speed is required when driving in traffic. If you see a sign warning of wildlife crossing, you should be ready to brake. If there is a deer, usually roe deer or red deer, on the road, the driver should slow down and sound the horn.

A deer rarely comes alone
It should also be noted that deer like to appear in family groups. If one deer comes along, another usually follows. Swerving and swerving can cause secondary accidents: cars crash into trees or other cars. So: hold the steering wheel firmly, brake hard - which you can practise in a driving technique course.

If a wildlife accident does occur, switch on the hazard warning lights. Put on a high-visibility vest, secure the accident site with the breakdown triangle and alert the police. You must report the accident! If you do not report the accident, you are committing a hit-and-run. And comprehensive insurance also requires confirmation of the accident.

Around 4000 wildlife accidents are recorded in Carinthia every year.