Motorists travelling across the Highlands are being urged to take extra care as a new road safety campaign gets underway to reduce the growing risk of collisions with red deer.
NatureScot has joined forces with Transport Scotland and Traffic Scotland to warn drivers about the dangers, particularly during the early morning and evening when deer are most likely to venture onto roads.
The campaign comes as shorter daylight hours and falling temperatures encourage red deer to move from higher ground towards lower areas in search of food and shelter.
Stags can be particularly active at this time of year as they seek out richer feeding grounds to recover following the autumn rut.
Electronic warning messages are being displayed along some of Scotland’s busiest Highland routes, including the A9, A99, A835, A87, A82, A83, A85 and A96.
The warnings will remain in place until the end of November, with messages appearing around dawn and dusk when the risk of encountering deer is greatest.
This year’s campaign is placing particular emphasis on Lochend, beside Loch Ness on the A82, following reports of an increase in collisions involving red deer and vehicles.
Mobile electronic warning signs will be positioned along this stretch throughout November, encouraging motorists to reduce their speed and remain alert.
Transport officials will also monitor vehicle speeds for a week before and after the signs are used to establish whether the warnings are influencing driver behaviour.
Dominic Sargent, NatureScot Deer Policy Officer, said:
“Public safety is a key part of our wider work with partners to reduce deer impacts across Scotland, particularly in the areas where we know those impacts are highest.
“These warning messages are an important reminder to drivers to be ‘deer aware’, particularly at peak collision times around dawn and dusk, when deer are more likely to venture on to grass verges near roadsides as they browse and feed.
“Simply slowing down and being alert to the possibility of deer can really help to reduce the likelihood of collisions.”
The campaign also extends into Grampian and Argyll, where red deer are regularly found close to major transport routes.
Collisions involving deer can cause serious damage to vehicles and pose significant risks to motorists, passengers and the animals themselves.
For drivers unfamiliar with Highland roads, the danger can be particularly difficult to anticipate, as deer may emerge suddenly from woodland or roadside vegetation.
Angus Corby, Transport Scotland Landscape and Biodiversity Manager, said:
“We continue to work closely with colleagues in NatureScot and our contractors to assess the extent and impact of deer-vehicle collisions across Scotland’s trunk roads, and to determine where mitigation is most needed.
“This work is a vital part of the overall management of the network for the reliability of these strategic transport routes and the safety of those using them.
“It is also important for the welfare of the wild deer which are an intrinsic part of the landscape.”
With thousands of motorists using Highland roads every day, the campaign is a reminder that sharing the landscape with Scotland’s wildlife requires patience and awareness.
A few miles per hour less on the speedometer, particularly at dawn and dusk, could make all the difference between a safe journey and a potentially serious collision.
