This Article Was Sourced From Safer Together: Collision With Animal
What are you doing to avoid colliding with animals at night?
When travelling on a public road at night, a light vehicle collided with a steer after coming over a slight crest. The driver was travelling almost 100 km/h and the steer was located on the passenger side of the road. The impact with the steer was minor and resulted some damage to the body of the vehicle. No injuries were sustained by the driver or the animal.
Why?
The driver of the vehicle was undertaking a non-routine engagement with a land holder. This began in the afternoon and continued into the evening. It resulted in the driver needing to undertake return travel during the night.
The driver was operating both the high-beam headlights and spotlights of the vehicle. These created significant glare from a roadside sign. The glare impeded the driver’s ability to see the steer, which was wandering near the sign on the roadside.
Habits
- Reduce my speed for road conditions.
- Be fit, rested and fully alert while driving.
- Follow journey management requirements.
Lessons
Non-routine engagement with land holders requires response to enquiries at any point during the day or night. Where possible, undertake land holder engagement during daylight hours.
Could this happen to you?
- Do you travel at night for work purposes? Can you implement systems which eliminate the need to travel during high risk periods?
- Do you reduce your speed for road conditions (e.g. crests and driving at night)?
- Are you utilising pre-start checks or a Journey Management Tool to aid in assessing the risks of travel, especially non-routine trips?
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