Every driver has faced a situation where a wild animal suddenly runs onto the road.
Unfortunately, some of these encounters have sad consequences, if only for the animal. In such cases, many motorists, after catching their breath, are in a hurry to leave the scene, thinking, thank God, they got away with it, and there's nothing that can be done for the poor animal. Others, estimating the carcass weight and calculating the accidental profit, load the hit animal into the trunk, without considering that they are breaking the law.
For the illegal movement or butchering of wild animals that are hunting objects, including deceased ones, or their parts, the legislation provides for administrative or criminal liability. A criminal case under Article 282-1 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus can be initiated if the driver has already been held liable for the same offense within a year. In this case, they face punishment in the form of a fine, correctional labor for up to two years, or arrest. If the crime was committed on a large scale, or within a nature reserve, or if the hit animal is listed in the Red Book, the offender may be punished not only with a fine but also with arrest, restriction, or even imprisonment.
The actions of a driver who simply picks up a wild animal already hit by someone on the highway will also be qualified from a legislative point of view. It does not matter whether it is a hare, a roe deer, or a wild boar. All these animals are game animals, which means that a hunting license is required for their taking. Therefore, if you find a hit animal on the highway or have hit it yourself and decided to take the carcass as compensation for the damaged car, remember that you may incur even greater damage by paying a considerable fine.
How to avoid a dangerous encounter on the road?
As a rule, elk, roe deer, and wild boars get under wheels, most often during dark hours. Biologists believe that the behaviour of animals running into the headlights is due to the fact that they associate this light with fire. The proximity of fire and danger makes the animals flee, hurrying to get to the other side of the road before the flame cuts off their path. Therefore, they jump onto the roadway and find themselves directly in front of the car.
To avoid such an encounter, drivers should reduce their speed on the stretch of road that passes through a forest area, and if they notice a glimmer on the roadside, they should be especially cautious – it might be the glint of an animal’s eyes in the headlights. In this case, it is best to reduce speed to a minimum until the hazardous section is left behind.
What to do if you hit an animal?
Firstly, do not approach a wounded animal; it may be aggressive or infected with rabies. Act according to the traffic regulations: mark the accident site with an “emergency stop” sign, provide first aid to the injured, call the traffic police (GAI) and, if necessary, an ambulance. The police officers, in turn, will contact the owners of hunting grounds and the territorial body of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection. If the accident occurred outside the zone of the “Wild Animals” sign, the driver did not exceed the speed limit, was sober, and did not violate the rules, they will not have to pay compensation for the animal hit.
