15 traffic accidents with animals per day on Catalan roads, up 50% in five years

An average of 15 traffic accidents involving animals occurred daily on Catalan roads in 2024, according to data from the Catalan Traffic Agency (SCT) analyzed by the Catalan News Agency (ACN).

In total, there were 5,754 such accidents last year, a nearly 50% increase compared to five years earlier, when 3,843 incidents were recorded.

Wild boars were involved in the majority of these collisions, accounting for 63% of cases. Another 27% involved different types of deer, especially roe deer.

The two counties with the highest number of these accidents were La Noguera in western Catalonia and Alt Empordà in the north.

Lleida was the town with the highest number of incidents by far, followed by Artesa de Segre (also in western Catalonia) and Sant Feliu de Buixalleu in the county of Girona.

Wild boars were most commonly encountered during winter nights, while roe deer were more frequently seen in spring nights.

Fortunately, 95% of these collisions do not result in injuries. However, some of the most serious crashes have been fatal.

So far in 2025, three people have died in collisions with animals, two of them motorcyclists who struck wild boars.

Catalan police Mossos d'Esquadra advise against making sudden maneuvers if an animal appears on the road.

Subinspector Mònica Carafí recommends "firmly holding the steering wheel and braking as much as possible."

"Drastic movements to avoid the animal," she warns, could cause the vehicle to "veer off the road or enter the opposite lane."