Many people worry about hitting an animal while driving. Hopefully you'll never experience this, but it might exist helpful to read our communication on what to do if it happens to yous.

It may be easier said than done, but if the worst happens, stay calm, breathe deeply and take stock of the situation.

The constabulary

If y'all hitting an animal which is covered by The Road Traffic Act 1988 – namely, dogs, goats, horses, cattle, donkeys, mules, sheep and pigs you are legally required to report it to the law.

But if you lot hit an animal not mentioned in the Road Traffic Act – a cat or a fox for example – you are not required by constabulary to study it but y'all might want to inform the constabulary of the incident anyhow. Read on for our communication on cats and deer.

And so y'all've hit an animal while driving – what should you do next?

Stop the car

If you're involved in an blow and an brute (whether in some other vehicle or on the road) is injured you must stop, even if it wasn't your mistake.

Remain at the scene

If y'all have to cease, you must stay with your motorcar long plenty for any other involved parties to ask for details should they need to. This could exist the injured animal's owner, the RSPCA or the police.

Approaching the animal

If you're in shock, yous might not put your own condom kickoff and at that place's a run a risk you could do something you wouldn't ordinarily do. But information technology'south very important that you are aware of your surroundings and that you sentinel out for other cars or hazards that could put you or anyone else in danger.

Before approaching an injured creature, bear in mind that it is probable to be very scared and it could try to bite or scratch you.

If you think yous may have hit someone'southward pet, run across if yous can detect its collar to access its owner'due south contact details.

Call the police if necessary

Remember if you hit a dog or other fauna mentioned in the Road Traffic Act 1988 you are legally required to inform the police.
If the animal isn't wearing a tag and you lot aren't able to trace its possessor yous must report the incident within 24 hours to a police officer or at your local police station. If the creature needs urgent attending, the police should exist able to provide y'all with a list of vets available to attend.

Accidents involving wild animals

Sadly, seeing an injured wild creature past the roadside is commonplace, particularly in the countryside. If y'all find an injured wild fauna on the route, detect it – as long as it's safety – to try to assess how desperately hurt information technology is. And so call the RSPCA on 0300 1234 999, or if possible take it to a vet or wildlife rehabilitator.

How practice I observe my local vet?

Discover your local vet hither. You will not be responsible for paying the vet's fees.

Accidents involving cats

Information technology is a sorry reality, but cats are oft involved in route accidents. Seeing someone'due south pet harmed by the roadside is devastating, only it's helpful to know what to practise if you should come up across one in these circumstances.

Cats Protection offers the following advice to anyone who discovers an injured cat:

If the true cat can be moved, take him to a vet and inform them that you are not the owner. If the true cat can't be identified, inform your local community that you lot have discovered an injured cat and taken information technology to the vet. Putting upward posters may assistance raise awareness and inform the owners of their cat'due south whereabouts.

deer road

Between May and June, and October and November accidents involving deer are more common due to the rutting season and young deer dispersing.

Accidents involving deer

There are approximately 74,000 accidents involving deer each yr in the UK, with vehicle harm estimated at around £17 meg.

The RSPCA offers the following advice:

– Watch out for deer warning signs
– Go on to the speed limit – it'south there for a reason!
– Take actress care early in the morning and during early evening
– Study whatever collisions to the police

If y'all discover a dead fauna on the road

It is the local quango'southward responsibility to remove animals establish on the road. To discover the relevant contact number click here to enter the relevant postcode.

For further advice

The RSPCA has some very helpful resource about protecting and caring for animals.

If you lot're worried about your ain pet, you lot might notice the Blue Cross website helpful.

If yous need to make a claim equally a result of impairment to your car, read the guide on the main insurethebox website.

We hope you lot never have to feel a car blow involving an creature, but you lot may want to save the RSPCA 24-hour advice line number to your phone, just in instance: 0300 1234 999.