Whilst the image is lighthearted, it carries a serious message.
Driving down country lanes in wniter can be hazardous especially as dusk falls. Any animals loose on the road can be in danger.
If you do have a collision with an animal, do you know which ones you need to report to the police?
What the law says:
The law surrounding what is a reportable incident are clear. Rule 286 of The Highway Code2 says that any collision involving an animal should be reported and refers drivers to Section 170 of The Road Traffic Act 1988. It is in this section3 where the definition of animal is given as “horse, cattle, ass, mule, sheep, pig, goat or dog.” Incidents need to be reported to the police as soon as possible, or at least within 24 hours.
In the past, there have been several requests for cats to be added to the list, but this was refused in 2022.
The AA recommends that collisions involving an animal not specified within the Act should at the least be reported to the local roads’ authority, especially if the animal has died or is on the carriageway. Similarly, notification of domestic pets, such as cats, should use local veterinary surgeries so owners could be told of their loss.
Call 101 for non-emergencies. If there was a serious injury, call 999.
Let’s hope we don’t have any issues this winter but better to know.
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