Hitting a deer in Slovakia or Czechia: what to do first and when insurance pays

The days are getting shorter, mornings are foggy and the clocks will go back in a few weeks. This is exactly when cars on Slovak and Czech roads most often meet roe deer, wild boar and red deer. A collision is rarely just a dented bumper – without the right steps and the right insurance, you can end up paying thousands of euros for repairs yourself.

When and where the risk is highest

Wildlife is most active at dusk and dawn, precisely when many people commute. In autumn you also have the rutting season, harvest in the fields and, after the clocks change, rush hour moving into darkness.

The riskiest stretches run along forests and fields, roads marked with the “Wild animals” warning sign and places where the forest reaches right up to the tarmac. The sign is not decoration – it marks spots where animals really cross.

How to lower the risk

• Slow down: at 70 km/h instead of 90 km/h your braking distance is much shorter and any impact is weaker.
• Watch the verges: animals’ eyes reflect your headlights long before you see the whole animal.
• Use high beams where you can: they light up the verge and the ditch. When you spot an animal, dip them – a dazzled animal often freezes in the road.
• One animal means more: deer and boar move in groups, so slow down again after the first one crosses.
• Don’t swerve: a sharp turn into oncoming traffic or a tree is often more dangerous than the impact itself. Brake hard and keep your line.

What to do right after a collision

• Stop in a safe place, switch on hazard lights and put on your reflective vest.
• Set up the warning triangle if the car or the animal blocks the road.
• Call the police on 158 (or 112). In Slovakia the dispatcher decides what happens next and informs the hunting ground manager; in Czechia you must call from the scene too, and police may confirm the report electronically instead of coming out.
• Photograph the damage, the animal, marks on the road and the surroundings, including road signs.
• Contact your insurer’s assistance line as soon as possible – many policies require it.

Keep away from an injured animal. A stressed deer or boar can seriously hurt you, and helping the animal is the job of the local hunters.

You may not take the animal

However tempting it may seem, you are not allowed to load a dead deer into your boot. In both Slovakia and Czechia, killed game belongs to the hunting ground user, and taking it can be treated as poaching, a criminal offence. Leave it where it is (unless it endangers traffic) and wait for instructions from the police or a hunter.

Who pays for the damage to your car

This is where many drivers get an unpleasant surprise. Compulsory motor third-party liability insurance covers damage you cause to others – it does not cover your own car after hitting wildlife. The hunting ground user is not automatically liable either.

Your insurer will only pay if you have:

• comprehensive (casco) insurance that includes wildlife collisions, or
• a wildlife collision add-on to your liability policy, which most insurers offer for a small annual fee, usually with a payout limit.

Check your policy before winter: the limit, the excess and whether a police record is required. If you don’t call the police from the scene, you risk getting nothing.

Buying a used car? Ask about wildlife damage

Repairs after hitting a deer often mean a new bumper, headlight and radiator, and on modern cars a recalibration of radar and cameras too. When buying a used car, look for a slightly different paint shade at the front, one headlight newer than the other or uneven panel gaps – and ask the seller directly about accident history.

If you are selling a car and a wildlife collision was properly repaired at a garage, say so in your listing and keep the invoice. Listing on AutoCasa is free with no commission, so an honest and detailed description costs you nothing extra – and buyers are more likely to trust you.

This article is based on Slovak Act No. 8/2009 Coll. on road traffic and Act No. 274/2009 Coll. on hunting, and Czech Act No. 361/2000 Coll., as in force in September 2026. These rules apply in Slovakia and Czechia. Insurance terms vary by insurer and policy.