The Royal Dutch Hunting Association wants the CBR to include a part of ‘legal obligations after a collision with game’ in the theory test, the organization says in a statement. According to the Hunters Association, this is necessary because many motorists do not know what to do after a collision with game. The association hopes to be able to further reduce the number of collisions with a campaign.
The number of collisions with game is increasing sharply. The Dutch Association of Insurers recorded ten thousand claimed collisions in 2019. However, there are probably more, because not everyone reports a collision with game. The Hunters Association wants to change this by having the legal obligations surrounding this subject included in the theory exam. “Many motorists do not know what to do after a collision with game”, says Laurens Hoedemaker, director of the Hunters Association. “They only know the meaning of the sign ‘watch out, crossing game’. With our appeal to the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management and the CBR, we want to make sure that all new drivers know that they are legally obliged to avoid a collision with game. to report to the police. “
According to the Hunters Association, management by hunters is important to keep the game population up to standard. Thanks to preventive measures, such as installing special game reflectors, the number of collisions in some locations has ‘been reduced by more than half’, according to Hoedemaker. By paying more attention to the subject, the association hopes to further reduce the number of wildlife collisions in the Netherlands. In five municipalities in the Veluwe, the Hunters Association has already started the campaign ‘That’s what we hunt for’. This campaign, including a genuine ‘wild croquette campaign’, should further highlight how hunters contribute to increasing road safety.
What to do?
The advice of the Hunters Association is not to drive faster than 60 km / h on N roads in wooded areas, especially after sunset. Furthermore, the advice is not to deviate, but to brake where possible and to stay on your own lane. If the collision nevertheless turns out to be unavoidable, the collision must be reported to the police on 0900-8844. Even if the animal continues. Failure to report a wildlife collision is punishable.