Wild accidents in Lower Austria: tragic numbers and their causes!

Wild accidents in Lower Austria: tragic numbers and their causes!

In Lower Austria, 28,900 game accidents are alarming annually, reports the Lower Austria Hunting Association. This corresponds to an average of eight clashes with wild animals per hour. Rehe are particularly affected, which are involved in collisions in more than 55 % of cases, followed by rabbits with 26 %. A recent incident in which a 19-year-old passenger in Wiesmath tragically killed in a collision with a deer, illustrates the high risk associated with it. This accident was one of 83 fatal traffic accidents in Lower Austria in 2024 and underlines the need for increased security measures on the streets.

rising danger from game accidents

The statistics show that the number of deer killed in traffic accidents has increased by 7 % in Austria, while death has increased by 3 % under the red deer. In contrast, the numbers for pheasants and rabbits have dropped drastically, which indicates the pressure through habitat changes and climate change. According to Mag. Christian Schimanofsky, director of the KFV, a collision with a deer poses a higher risk of injury for drivers. After all, 1,586 people have been injured in game accidents in Austria in the past five years, six of them fatal. The most common causes of this are carelessness and an unsuitable speed.

Especially in the regions with a densely transport network such as Lower Austria, where the game population often has to cross the streets, the risk of accidents continues to increase. Di Josef Pröll, State Higher of Lower Austria, explains that the game has to cross roads more and more in search of water and food, while the number of road users is increasing steadily. In order to minimize the risk, wild warning devices are attached along critical road sections, as the Lower Austria Hunting Association reports.