Background info
Road users have to be attentive to more than the risks posed by other road users. They also have to be alert to the dangers of animals on the road. As urban areas continue to push outward and displace animals from their natural habitats and as traffic continues to increase every year, collisions between cars and the animals seem an almost inevitable consequence.
As we drive outside our urban areas we often see roadkill - animals that have been killed by passing traffic. We might even have had the unfortunate experience of striking a large animal ourselves. Road collisions kill and maim wildlife, pets and humans, and result in millions of rand in insurance claims. These incidents are however mostly under-reported. When a driver swerves or stops to avoid hitting an animal, the resulting mishap is mostly not recorded as a collision with an animal.
Animal distractions and risks are brought about by a variety of animals, from small cats, dogs and even birds to the large...
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