Dramatic morning hours: accidents with wildlife are increasing in the Elbe-Elster district!

Dramatic morning hours: accidents with wildlife are increasing in the Elbe-Elster district!

On Friday morning, September 5, 2025, there were several wildlife accidents in the Elbe-Elster district that affected both vehicles and wild animals. Loud Niederlausitz Current The first accident was reported around 5:50 a.m. when a VW car collided with a deer near Domsdorf. The property damage amounted to around 1,000 euros, while the animal died at the scene of the accident.

Shortly afterwards, at 6:10 a.m., another incident occurred when a fawn ran onto the road between Hohenleipisch and Döllingen. A TOYOTA car was no longer able to avoid the collision, which also resulted in damage of around 1,000 euros - the deer died again at the scene of the accident. The third incident occurred around 6:20 a.m. when a SKODA car collided with a wild animal on the district road between Neumühl and Uebigau. This accident caused significant material damage of 5,000 euros, while the animal also passed away. Overall, the material damage caused by these wildlife accidents amounts to around 7,000 euros. Fortunately, all drivers were uninjured and their vehicles remained drivable.

Experiences from the region

Accidents involving wildlife are not uncommon in the region. It was only on Tuesday evening that a KIA, driven by a 27-year-old, collided with a deer on the federal highway near Mühlberg. The resulting material damage also amounted to 5,000 euros, but the vehicle remained drivable. Almost ten minutes later, on federal highway 96 between Massen and Finsterwalde, another accident occurred: a deer caused 2,500 euros worth of damage to a HYUNDAI car that was no longer drivable. What was tragic was that the injured deer was found in the ditch and had to be rescued by the police reported the police.

But what is behind these accidents? Wildlife is not only affected locally - collisions between wildlife and vehicles represent a significant mortality factor worldwide and cause billions of dollars in damage every year. In Germany alone, new records were set in 2019 with 295,000 wildlife accidents, which resulted in property damage amounting to 885 million euros. The number of unreported cases is estimated at one million wildlife accidents per year because many accidents go unreported is in a study.

Preventive measures and challenges

The documentation of wildlife accidents in Germany leaves a lot to be desired, as it often only records larger mammals, while the actual numbers are much higher. Research suggests it's time to rethink wildlife accident prevention. Instead of controlling the behavior of wild animals, measures should be taken that influence the behavior of road users. The design of the landscape around roads could also play a role in preventing collisions.

Given these challenges, it is important that both authorities and road users are aware of their responsibilities and take appropriate measures to prevent wildlife accidents. After all, it's not just about visible damage to property, but also about protecting the animals that enrich our environment.