Motorists urged to be mindful of deer on roads

People are being urged to take "extra care" when driving this time of year

Motorists are being warned to take extra care to avoid hitting deer on rural roads this month.

East Sussex County Council has warned deer-related traffic collisions increase during mating season, which runs throughout November.

Councillor Claire Dowling, lead member for transport and environment, said deer can appear "unexpectedly".

She said: “Collisions with deer can result in injury or death for animals and drivers, and significant damage to vehicles."

Deer often travel in groups, so if drivers see one crossing the road they should slow down as others may follow

There are estimated to be more than 74,000 deer-related traffic collisions across the UK every year, with a significant number of collisions in East Sussex, particularly in the Ashdown Forest area.

Extra care is to be taken in heavily wooded areas or where there are deer warning signs as it is here the animals are most likely to venture out, particularly around dawn and dusk.

Tips to avoid hitting the large animal include using full-beam headlights at night if no other cars are around, as they will reflect the deer’s eyes and help drivers spot them.

However, they should dip their headlights when they see a deer to avoid startling it.

If motorists do hit a deer and it is not causing a danger to others on the road, they should call 101.

If someone is injured or the deer is a danger to other road users, call 999.

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