The Uswitch Roadkill Report
Hundreds of thousands of animals killed are sadly hit by cars on UK roads each year. To try and raise awareness of the issue, and to help drivers avoid harming animals when they’re on the roads, Uswitch conducted important and enlightening research to give an understanding of what is happening around the UK.
Most Dangerous Roads
Uswitch submitted Freedom of Information requests to Highways England, the Department for Economy and Transport, the Department for Transport and the Department for Infrastructure, asking each to provide a breakdown of the number and location of roadkill incidents reported between June 2019 and September 2020.
The M5 came out as the road with the most roadkill, with a reported 279 animals killed during the period we analysed. The M6 was the second most dangerous road for animals, with a reported 244 deaths, followed by the M62 with 220.
Which species are most at risk on the roads?
As part of their Freedom of Information requests, they also asked for a breakdown of which types of animals were being reported in roadkill incidents throughout the UK.
According to the data provided, there were 2,888 roadkill incidents where the species of the animal was not specified. Out of those which were specified, deer are the animal most likely to be hit on UK roads, with a reported 296 incidents between June 2019 and September 2020.
Foxes and badgers were the next most at risk, with 120 and 108 reported incidents, followed by cats and dogs, with 50 and 44 reported roadkill incidents.
Splitting out the data for England by region, the North East saw the highest number of incidents, with a total of 843, followed by the North West with 779.
Where the species was reported, deer was the most at risk species in every region of England, with the South East reporting the highest number of incidents with 41. However, when looking at other species, there were some noticeable regional differences.
The East Midlands, West Midlands and South West all had badgers as their second most at risk species, while the East and South East saw more incidents involving foxes. Further North, domestic animals proved to be more at risk, with dogs being the second most reported roadkill in the North East, and cats being the second most reported in the North West.
Where are the most roadkill-related accidents occurring?
Often, roadkill can lead to further accidents, as drivers either swerve to avoid animals, or become distracted by creatures on the road. Using the Department for Transport’s online road traffic tool, Uswitch were able to access data relating to the number of road traffic accidents which cited animals as a key contributing factor, breaking this down to local authority area.
Southampton saw the highest number of animal-related road traffic accidents, with a total of 137, followed by Swindon with 72 and Medway Towns with 67. At the other end of the table, there were 14 local authorities which reported zero animal-related road traffic accidents.
How much does the average Brit know about roadkill?
Uswitch surveyed 2,226 British motorists to understand the public’s feelings towards and awareness of roadkill and conservation issues.
One of the first things they discovered was how much people underestimates the extent of the UK’s roadkill. When asked how many animals are killed on UK roads each year, the average figure from our respondents was 193,000. However, according to the Mammal Society, the actual figure is closer to 300,000. Other experts believe it to be even higher, with some making estimates in the millions.
How many animals are killed on UK roads each year?
Which drivers are most likely to hit an animal, and what would they do about it?
56% of the drivers in the study admitted to having hit an animal before. However, when they split out results by the type of car driven by each respondent, there were some noticeable differences. According to our research, BMW drivers are the most likely to be involved in a roadkill incident, with 71% admitting to hitting an animal in the past. Meanwhile, Citroen drivers were the least likely, with just 45% having hit an animal while on the road.
% of participants who have hit an animal whilst driving in the UK
Not only did the likelihood of having hit an animal change from one car driver to the next, but the action they would take also varied.
Species most likely to be reported in the event of a collision
Looking at which species drivers are most likely to report in the event of a collision, dogs with collars came out on top, with 66% of drivers saying they would report the accident. However, if the dog didn’t have a collar, the figure dropped to 52%.
Species people wouldn’t do anything about if they hit them
Despite being on the European Protected Species list, otters, newts, frogs and toads all sit in the bottom half of the table, with drivers far less likely to report hitting one. In fact, 31% of respondents said they wouldn’t do anything if they hit a frog or toad while driving.
How much do Brits know about the rules surrounding roadkill?
There is a lot of confusion and misinformation when it comes to roadkill, which can leave drivers uncertain about what they should do in the event of an accident.
The most common myth surrounding roadkill is that if you take an injured animal to a vet, you’ll be liable for the bill, with 73% of Brits believing this to be true. Vets will not charge you for bringing in an injured animal you found on the road and are obliged to give free pain relief.
