Motorist backs call for signage on Meath road after collision with deer

Louise Walsh

A motorist whose car was written off following a collision with a deer is calling on local authorities for more signage in an area where there have been several similar incidents.

Jacob Kotze believes that if he had been driving at speed, the deer, which hit the bonnet of the car, would have been thrown through the windscreen and into him.

The collision occurred last March, but Mr Kotze has now backed the call of a motorcyclist who narrowly escaped death after colliding with a deer on the same stretch of road in recent weeks.

Cathal Finegan doesn't know how he survived the collision which occurred on the main R147 Navan to Dunshaughlin Road in Co. Meath.

The 49-year-old engineer from Navan had to brake hard when the deer bounded out in front of him but walked away relatively unscathed, apart from neck and back pain. He is calling on Meath County Council to erect more signage along that stretch of road to warn motorists of the risks of deer crossing.

The call is now being backed by Mr Kotze, whose accident happened at 4.30am, on his way to work in Dublin's National Rehabilitation Centre in Dun Laoghaire.

Mr Kotze said that he drives there every morning, and was driving less than the speed limit of 80km/h.

"It was dark, and it was only at the last minute that I saw two deer in front of me. I clipped one, but the other was directly in front of me and landed up on the bonnet," he said.

"I got out of the car and walked up 50 metres, where I saw eyes blinking at the side of the road, and there was the deer. I thought I might have broken her legs, and my first thought when the gardaí arrived was to get a vet.

"I didn't go near her in case I scared her, but later I saw her walk up and go through a gap in the hedge. She must have been hurt though."

It was only when Mr Kotze looked at his dash cam footage later that he saw there were about a dozen more deer in his side camera.

"If I was driving a few seconds later, I would've hit the whole pack.. I believe deer are most active in the early morning.

Mr Kotze's car was written off, but he "thankfully" only suffered from shock.

A native of South Africa, Mr Kotze also worked in Australia and knows the dangers in both countries of accidents caused by crossing antelopes and kangaroos.

"There are no signs that I can see near Dunshaughlin at all. Deer go to Drogheda for the mating season and they go direct routes. Since my accident, I'm aware of at least three other collisions on this route due to deer.

"I worked as a driving instructor and I know that any car that is speeding and hits a deer, the driver is dead. No question."

"I work with people now who have life-changing injuries, some from car accidents. Is Meath County Council going to wait until someone dies or is badly injured after hitting a deer in order to put up a few signs that might make motorists slow down and be a bit more vigilant on that stretch of road?

In a statement, Meath County Council said it "will analyse collision data at this location. Any additional measures that may be required will be based off the findings of this data."

The Garda press office says it does not provide statistics for "such specific locations" and would "also not be able to provide a breakdown of collisions involving animals".