Single squirrel causes £5,500 in damage, says the AA
Department for Transport figures released last week revealed a sharp rise in fatal accidents involving wildlife on the UK’s roads - eight people were killed last year compared to just one in 2010.
Speaking to the Telegraph, the AA revealed that one of the more unusual encounters between motorists and wildlife came when a squirrel dropped into a convertible vehicle. The female driver was so shocked she lost control of her car and drove into a tree, causing £5,500 worth of damage.
It’s not just small fury rodents causing unusual insurance payouts though. The AA recorded 112 ‘animal strike cases’ in October and November this year – in November alone, 30 claims detailing incidents with deer, five with foxes, three with badgers and another 11 related to dogs were logged.
An AA spokesman said: “Deer are by far the biggest culprit and this time of the year is the mating season.
“Deer tend to move at dusk or very early in the morning and, during the winter, this puts their movements right in the time when people are commuting.”
Fewer hours of daylight during the winter means it is often harder for drivers to spot wildlife on the road.
It is estimated that the number of drivers injured in accidents involving deer is about 450 per year.
These types of accidents are also taking their toll on wildlife populations, with about 40,000 animals killed by cars each year.
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