Wildlife

Deer Road Collisions: A Major Wildlife Welfare Issue

Over 74,000 deer are killed on UK roads each year causing significant animal welfare harm and human injury risk.

Key Facts

An estimated 74,000 deer are killed on UK roads annually based on survey data
The actual number may be over 350,000 according to some estimates
Roe deer are most commonly involved in collisions but reds and fallow are also affected
Dawn and dusk in autumn are peak times for deer-vehicle collisions
Injured deer often suffer for hours before death or rescue

Welfare Considerations

Deer road collisions cause severe welfare impacts. Many animals are not killed outright and suffer from broken limbs, internal injuries, and spinal damage before dying or being euthanised. Orphaned fawns from killed mothers face poor survival prospects. The trauma of entanglement in vehicles and hedgerows compounds injury. Seasonal pressures of rut and fawn dispersal increase collision risk.

What You Can Do

Drive slowly near woodland edges especially at dawn and dusk in autumn
Join British Deer Society collision reporting schemes to help map risk hotspots
Support installation of deer warning signs and wildlife underpasses on high-risk roads
Learn basic deer welfare and contact Wildlife Trusts if you find an injured deer
Advocate for vehicle speed reductions in areas with known high collision rates