Wild accidents in the Donau-Ries: Record numbers shock the region!

Wild accidents in the Donau-Ries: Record numbers shock the region!

In the night of Thursday, June 12, 2025, there were several game accidents in the Donau-Ries region, which alerted the Donauwörth police inspection. Four accidents were registered within a short time, all of which took place at different locations: in Oppertshofen, Wolferstadt, Altisheim and Fünfettetten. This resulted in an estimated total damage of around 13,000 euros, while all the drivers involved were unharmed. It is tragic that the recorded animals, including deer and a badger, did not survive, like the Augsburger Allgemeine

The first collision occurred at 10.10 p.m. when a 23-year-old caught a deer on the local connection road from Oppertshofen towards Reichertsweiler. Shortly afterwards, at 10:55 p.m., an 18-year-old also hit his electric car against a deer on the district road between Wolferstadt and Steinbühl. Another accident occurred at 11:50 p.m., in which a 23-year-old crashed into a badger on the state road between Zirgesheim and Altisheim. The last incident followed at 1 a.m.

game accidents: a worrying trend

The number of game accidents in the Donau-Ries district has now exceeded the 600 mark and is therefore above the values of the record year 2024. Such figures are not only alarming. A collision between the car and the large wild animal occurs every 2.5 minutes, with annual property damage of around 490 million euros and up to 27 deaths. Almost 1,000,000 wild animals fall victim to road traffic annually, such as Wildbiology Institut shown.

Even if the absolute numbers in Bavaria are high compared to other regions, the specific focus on the prevention of game accidents remains of central importance. In Baden-Württemberg, for example, game accident data is already collected and merged in a central system that significantly improved the insights into the geography of accidents. This data helps to develop effective prevention measures in order to slow down the increase in game accidents, such as the fva Baden-württemberg explained.

The police appeal to all road users, especially at the twilight and night times. This could not only promote the safety of the travelers, but also the survival of the wild animals in the adjacent forest areas. In view of the steadily increasing number of game accidents, there is a need for action, both in terms of animal welfare and to minimize the risks for people in road traffic. It remains to be hoped that innovative prevention strategies will soon lead to success and that tragic incidents as the youngest can be avoided in the future.