High risk of wildlife crossing: How to protect yourself in twilight!

High risk of wildlife crossing: How to protect yourself in twilight!

With the time change on October 27, 2025, rush hour traffic will again fall at dusk, which brings with it an increased risk of accidents involving wildlife in the coming weeks. This emerges from the current warnings from the Baden-Württemberg State Hunting Association, which draws attention to the increased activity of wild animals. At dusk, many animals are looking for a partner or food, which means they can appear more often on roads. Drivers should therefore be more vigilant and reduce their speed to prevent accidents.

The association's experts recommend driving away wild animals by honking and turning off the high beams so as not to blind other road users and animals. Drivers should remain particularly vigilant as many wild animals such as deer, wild boars and stags often travel in groups. A wild animal on the side of the road can quickly be accompanied by other animals.

Increasing number of wildlife accidents in autumn

In autumn the number of accidents involving wildlife increases significantly. According to ZDF, there were over 276,000 wildlife accidents across Germany in 2024, which corresponds to an average of 750 accidents per day. The greatest danger is particularly at dawn and dusk and on roads near meadows, fields and forests. The months of October to December are particularly critical, as a particularly high number of accidents involving deer are to be expected during the rutting season.

Drivers are therefore asked to drive particularly carefully and to pay attention to increased animal crossings. The ADAC emphasizes that controlled braking, dimming the headlights and repeatedly honking are crucial to alert wild animals. Patient avoidance should be a top priority as wildlife accidents can cause not only injuries but also significant property damage.

Behavior in the event of accidents involving wildlife

The way drivers behave in the event of a collision with a wild animal is of great importance. In the event of an accident involving wild animals, you should hold the steering wheel firmly and brake as intensively as possible. It is also advisable to stay in your own lane. The police must be notified after an accident, regardless of whether there are injuries or not. It is also important to issue a wildlife accident certificate and take photos of the scene of the accident to enable the claim to be processed quickly.

According to the ADAC, over 2,000 people suffered personal injuries in wildlife accidents in 2022, and the number of unreported wildlife accidents is high because not every case is reported. It is therefore essential not to rescue injured or dead animals yourself; This is the responsibility of foresters or hunting tenants. Taking wild animals is also a punishable offense and is considered poaching.

The warnings from the authorities clearly show that drivers need to be particularly careful in the coming weeks and months. Reduced reaction speed due to fatigue, especially after a long day at work, can further increase the risk of an accident, while many wild animals move from their sleeping places to feeding places at dusk. The ADAC therefore recommends driving with foresight and caution, especially on country roads with a lot of vegetation.

For more information about wildlife accidents and how to avoid them, those interested can visit the ADAC website.