Advisor: Take special care of wild animals
PROPERTY DAMAGE AND INJURY Wild animals pose a constant threat to road traffic. Across Switzerland, they caused property damage of more than 50 million Swiss francs in accidents. Some cantons are particularly at risk.
Loss figures from the insurance company Axa show that the probability of a collision with a wild animal is particularly high in the cantons of Jura, Graubünden, Fribourg and Thurgau. The danger of a wild animal accident basically exists at any time of the day or year.
Michael Pfäffli, Head of Axa Accident Research: "However, particular caution is required in October, November and December. This is because when the days get shorter, wild animals are more likely to be on the road at the same time as motorists. In addition, it's dark in the morning and evening traffic, which is why you often don't see animals on the roadway until late."
Be sure to notify the police
Every year thousands of animals are killed in road traffic. In the event of a wildlife accident, the police should be notified immediately. The police will then provide a gamekeeper, hunter or other specialist to search for the injured animal and, if necessary, put it out of its misery.
A collision with an animal can have a considerable impact even at moderate speeds. For humans, the collisions usually have a mild outcome. Nevertheless, according to Astra, 89 people were injured in animal accidents last year.
Full braking instead of evasive maneuvers
If a wild animal actually jumps in front of the car unexpectedly, full braking is preferable to any evasive maneuvers. Axa alone, the largest motor vehicle insurer in Switzerland, is notified of more than 3,000 accidents involving wild animals every year.
