Increase in wildlife accidents on Swedish roads – autumn is high season

Between January and August this year, 42,871 managed wildlife accidents were reported from the roads in Sweden, according to statistics from the National Wildlife Accident Council, NVR. Last year, there were 40,592 accidents during the same period.

In Västerbotten, the increase is even greater - 10 percent compared to last year, according to police statistics.

- It is mainly the deer that stand out, but also moose. Both strains are increasing so it reflects the statistics well. Then maybe we motorists are in more of a hurry, says Thomas Björnudd.

Neglecting to mark the scene of the accident

As a search hunter in Vännäs, he can receive calls around the clock, all year round, when an animal has been hit. Now a potentially busy period awaits him, as almost every third game accident has historically occurred during the autumn months of September-November.

Thomas Björnudd urges motorists to get better at marking the scene of an accident in the event of a wildlife collision - preferably with a wildlife accident strip.

- It is not legally required to mark the location, so people are careless with it unfortunately. Now NVR has developed a new reflex strip that will make a difference, we will distribute it so that everyone has it in their car, he says.