In recent years,
more than 10,000 per year have been registered in traffic accidents in which a
car collides with animals. Also, this number is rising year by year. Accidents
in which wild animals are to blame can take various forms, from damage to a
vehicle, injuries to people or animals, to completely fatal consequences.
Although cars are becoming safer and the consequences of accidents less severe
than before, experts urge drivers not to rely on the safety equipment of their
vehicles and to pay maximum attention to driving.
According to
police statistics, there were over 15,500 traffic accidents last year in which a
car collided with forest animals. For comparison, in 2015 it was 6 thousand
fewer accidents. According to the police, the estimated damage caused by the
collision with the game in 2015 was below 300 million crowns. In 2019, it
exceeded the amount of 600 million.
On the roads,
animals are most likely to be threatened in the early morning hours before
dawn, and then at dusk or dusk. The game most often moves on roads leading
through the forest and along with fields.
Road
administrators install odor fences in the most critical places, which should at
least partially discourage the game from crossing the road. Fences are
installed in some places, but this usually only applies to motorway-type roads.
Besipu experts emphasize that by far the most effective prevention is to reduce
the speed below the value allowed in the given place - especially where the
road sign directly warns of the increased occurrence of the game.
No prevention is
ever 100%, but there are ways to reduce the risk. Anticipation and reduction of
speed have already been discussed. If the driver sees an obstacle at a distance
of 60 m, he will not be able to stop from a speed of 90 km / h. On the other
hand, at a speed of 80 km / h, the distance to a complete stop is approximately
55 m.
However, heavy
braking, which is causing difficulties for some drivers, is proving to be a
necessary condition. "Unfortunately, many drivers can't break in a
panic," says Škoda Mulač, an analyst at Škoda's traffic safety team.
"In a critical situation, you need to kick the brake pedal and brake with
all your might until it comes to a complete stop. Pulsation in the pedal due to
the action of ABS leads some drivers to subconsciously release it - and this is
the biggest mistake, "explains Karel Mulač.
If there is no
avoidance and the impending collision cannot be averted, the driver should not
try to avoid the collision. The best reaction is to brake hard and hold the
steering wheel in the direction of travel at the same time.
Modern cars have
such a level of passive safety that they can handle an impact on an animal
commonly found in Central Europe without any consequences for the crew.
"If the driver does not dodge, he makes the collision in the safest
possible way. On the contrary, the effort to avoid a collision usually ends off
the road, which in the forest usually means a collision with a tree or a fall
from aside. This is how the most serious accidents take place, with the most
serious consequences, "adds Karel Mulač.
Today's passenger
cars are equipped with several electronic systems, which add a significant dose
of active safety to their high level of passive safety. For example, the Front
Assist system warns the driver at speeds from 5 to 210 km / h of an imminent
collision and, if necessary, brakes the car automatically. supports full
braking. Also, this system is supplemented by an emergency brake function
designed especially for city traffic at speeds from 5 to 34 km / h.
Adaptive
headlights that optimize headlight lighting depending on road configuration and
ambient conditions can also help. But paradoxically, these otherwise great
helpers may not be to the benefit of drivers in these situations. The animal
rarely stands in the way without movement as a solid obstacle. Much more often,
he suddenly runs out of the bushes or ditch, and in that case, the assistant
can't do much. Likewise, intense lighting causes the animal to get stuck in the
road and stop behaving as expected. That is why Besipu experts advise the
appropriate combination of high beams with dipped beams.
If the game is
close, the driver should manually deactivate the high beams and perform any
rinsing with a horn, not a flash.
This, of course,
requires the direct involvement of the human factor, adaptive headlights cannot
handle it on their own. And so it is more true here than anywhere else: to
limit speed, not to rely on assistive technologies, and to be prepared for
lightning-fast response.
If an accident
occurs, it is important not to panic. The first step in such a case should be
to check the health of the crew and possibly call an ambulance. If no injuries
have occurred, it is the turn of the reflective vest and the marking of the accident site with
a triangle. The accident must also be documented and reported to the Police of
the Czech Republic. Never load a dead or injured animal in a car. Such
activity, albeit in good faith, is considered poaching. It is advisable to
contact the insurance company directly from the accident site.
