The number of collisions with animals is increasing. In 2014, the Dutch Association of Insurers still recorded almost six thousand collisions, but last year there were ten thousand. A collision with an animal causes an average of € 1,600 in damage.
Most collisions happen in the Veluwe and in the east of the country, where a lot of game lives in the forests. Deer, badgers and wild boars in particular regularly end up in front of the wheels of a car. In the past week, the Stichting Wildaanrijdingen Nederland already recorded more than fifty collisions. But there are probably more, because not everyone reports a wildlife collision, although this is required by law.
Anyone who hits an animal is punishable if not reported to the police. The police sends a hunter or wildlife keeper to the scene of the accident. The professional puts the animal out of its misery if necessary and provides for removal. Dead game may therefore not be taken for personal consumption or sale.
According to the Jagersvereniging and the Vereniging Het Ree, there are a remarkable number of accidents around the time the clock has just been set. Because winter starts this weekend, the Hunters Association will start a campaign on Wednesday in five Veluwe municipalities to warn motorists. The Hunters Association also advocates including the legal rules regarding wildlife collisions in the CBR theory exam.