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01. 11. 12. - 13:06
Fewer road accidents caused by wild animals due to warning devices
Since 2003 a trial project managed by the Hunting Association in Upper Austria has been in force to reduce the number of road accidents caused by wild animals.
Optical and sonic warning devices have been installed on 30 particularly dangerous sections of road.
Between 2003 and 2007, the roads where the devices were fitted saw a 90 per cent reduction in the number of accidents.
More devices were installed in 2010 and now 105 kilometres of road has been safeguarded and 6,600 devices are currently in use.
The Road Authority plans to fit devices on an additional 30 kilometres of road per year until 2015.
The project costs roughly 110,000 Euro annually which is financed by Upper Austria.
Provincial hunting chief Josef Brandmeier has also revealed that 10 per cent of the total amount will be covered by the Hunting Association.
In 2008 there were 39 accidents involving wild animals that resulted in human deaths, compared to 24 in 2010.
On many of the streets where the devices have been fitted there have been no accidents recorded. On average the number of accidents on the equipped routes has fallen 77 per cent.
The optical warning devices work by reflecting car lights into the surrounding area and in doing this stop wild animals from crossing the roads.
The sonic warning devices alert animals using a sound signal. The big advantage of both devices is that they are only activated when a car draws near, meaning that deer and other animals are not prevented from crossing roads unless there is pending danger.
