The animal accidents they have been a recurring problem on secondary roads since forever. However, with new technologies and driving aids, it was hoped that the total number could be reduced. And now we have a study that reveals that this type of claim has doubled in the last five years. A worrying figure, since they are also increasingly more serious and complex. And this is due to some compelling reasons that could have a solution.
A few years ago, it was difficult to come across wildlife on the roads. The wild boar, roe deer, deer or fox they only appeared in very wild and rural areas. Although it has been seen that with the progressive abandonment that the rural environment has suffered, the lack of control of some species and the pandemic have made the animals more frequent in urban areas. For these reasons, there has been a 71% increase in animal claims. In total they have been 11,400 incidents between 2017 and 2021.
There are more accidents and, in addition, they are more severe. The Línea Directa study has shown that average cost increased by 104% compensation for bodily injury. It is a devastating figure when compared to the 13.6% that increased in the rest of common accidents. And you also have to take into account that vehicle repairs are 2.4 times more expensive than those of a normal hit and your transactions 38% slower. The problem is that, in many cases, it is very complex to claim.
Law 6/2014 attributes the liability for these accidents to the driver. Only in specific cases, such as the road not being fenced or signposted, or as a result of a hunting action, could a claim be made. In the case of pets it is different, as the owners would be responsible. The fact is that currently only the 6% of damages caused by animals are compensated by their owners, compared to the 43% registered in claims prior to 2014. They are seven times less and a problem for those who suffer the accident.
We have already talked about what to do if an animal appears on the road, applying it could prevent the accident. It is also important to know some facts revealed in the study. Most of them usually happen in rural settings, at night (61% of them), on weekends, in autumn (a third of the total) and with wild boars or dogs as protagonists. 64% of accidents occur on conventional roads, although they have multiplied by three in urban areas and represent 22%. The province that accumulates more incidents with animals is Soria with 9% (followed by Teruel with 4.4%) and the least are the island provinces.
Source: Direct Line
