Insurers notice that collisions with wild animals have increased significantly this year, and as long-term statistics show, the majority of these traffic accidents occur in autumn.
The number of collisions is increasing every year
According to the data of the insurance company ERGO, since the beginning of 2020, more than 3 thousand damage caused by encounters with wild animals. And 6.16 million was paid out to customers with CASKO insurance. euros. What’s more, such damages are increasing every year – 532 were recorded in 2020, 558 in 2021, 662 in 2022, and 703 last year. This year is no exception – ERGO customers have already suffered 595 damages caused by collisions with wild animals.
As Raimondas Bieliauskas, the head of ERGO’s vehicle damage administration department, notices, deer and moose are the most frequently encountered, and deer and elk less often. True, after collisions with the latter, vehicles are often beyond repair. In addition, although wild animals pose a danger on the roads in Lithuania all year round, it is necessary to be extra cautious right now.
“Our long-term data shows decreasing seasonality, but autumn remains the most active. This year looks set to record another record number of wildlife encounters. Unfortunately, these incidents not only damage many vehicles, but also result in serious injuries and deaths. Therefore, seeing the trends in the activity of animals on the roads, we recommend to maintain as much vigilance as possible on the road at this time of the year”, warns the interviewer.
For payments – almost 1.5 million. euros
According to R. Bieliauskas, not only the number of collisions with wild animals is increasing, but also the amount of damages. In 2020, the average payment for customers who insured their cars with KASKO after collisions with animals amounted to less than 2 thousand. euros, exceeded the mentioned amount last year, and this year it reaches 2.3 thousand. euros.
One of the biggest damages this year, which amounted to about 29 thousand. euros, recorded in winter, when a Porsche crashed into a tree after a collision with a deer. In June, two BMW cars were damaged by wild animals on the road. One of them rolled onto the roof after the collision, the other hit a tree. Both times, the amount of payments amounted to about 50 thousand. euros. A lot of damage is caused not only by incidents caused by larger wild animals, but also by smaller animals that hit the front of the car and damage the smart accessories that are usually installed there.
“Every year, we observe not only the growing number of incidents due to these collisions, but also the increasing damages due to the renewed car fleet in Lithuania. It seems that they will have to allocate the most funds this year. When last year we allocated and reserved 1.45 mln. euros, this year until the middle of September this amount is only 80 thousand. EUR less. However, there are still a few months left before the end of the year, and last year we allocated more than 450 thousand for damages in the last quarter alone. EUR”, the ERGO representative presents the statistics.
What to do in the event of an incident?
In order to avoid collisions with wild animals, R. Bieliauskas emphasizes the need to be as careful as possible on the country’s regional roads, where usually there are no fences. Special attention is needed during the dark hours of the day and at dawn – that’s when most accidents happen. Additional concentration is necessary in those sections where special road signs warn of the danger posed by animals.
“It is important to maintain a safe speed in order to be able to stop and pass wild animals on the road if necessary. It is also advised to keep a safe distance from other vehicles and not overtake them unnecessarily. If you see an animal on the road, you must stop, if necessary, stop and wait for the animal to leave. After he leaves, you should also wait to see if more of them come from the forest. Under no circumstances should you signal with lights or a sound signal, as this can cause unpredictable behavior of a wild animal”, advises the representative of ERGO.
If an accident cannot be avoided and an animal is injured or a vehicle is damaged during a traffic accident, it is necessary to call the police officers at number 112.
“They will register the incident, and then the insurance company will compensate the losses in accordance with CASKO terms. Leaving later can be treated as fleeing the scene, so you can be fined and even be disqualified from driving. In addition, an injured or dead wild animal should be taken care of by the relevant authorities, you should not approach the injured animal yourself, as it may attack when it is in a state of shock,” advises the representative of ERGO.
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2024-09-21 20:55:43
