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SCOTS motorists are being warned to watch out for the dangers presented by everything from wee beasties to deer at this time of the year.
Experts say if you find yourself in an accident involving smaller creatures, not only could you be badly hurt or worse but you could face the full force of the law and find your car insurance won’t pay out.
And the autumn months are when you are most likely to get spooked by creepy-crawlies while at the wheel, as it is the mating season for all species of house spiders – many of which live in cars.
But automotive specialists have stressed that being suddenly shocked by the appearance of a spider is no defence against the rules of the road.
Spiders are most likely to hide in warm and secluded spots in your car – including in the air vents, behind the sun visor and even around the engine.
Arachnid buffs say the best way to keep them at bay, other than cleaning your car’s interior regularly, is to spray diluted citrus or peppermint oil around the car as spiders hate these substances.
Duncan McClure Fisher, boss of leading motoring association MotorEasy, said: “It’s vital that all drivers are 100 per cent focussed on what they are doing while behind the wheel.
“You are in charge of a two-tonne piece of metal travelling at speed, so distractions can be fatal. If your concentration is suddenly diverted by something inside the vehicle, this could constitute a criminal offence.
“And while having spiders and other bugs inside your vehicle is not your fault, reacting to the situation in a way that could endanger other motorists or pedestrians will be seen in the eyes of the law in the same way as putting on your eyeliner or eating a sandwich.”
Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands of animals are killed on UK roads each year, including about 75,000 deer. They become a far more common sight on country routes during the rutting season in October.
But professional advisers from Select Car Leasing say motorists need to know is that there’s a big legal difference between large and small animals and the actions you should take if one runs out on to the road ahead.
If you find yourself having to brake suddenly or change directions in order to avoid hitting a smaller animal – such as a pet cat – and it causes an accident, you might end up in trouble with both the police and your insurers.
Graham Conway, managing director of the vehicle provider, said: “The Road Traffic Act 1988 specifically defines an ‘animal’ as a ‘horse, cattle, ass, mule, sheep, pig, goat or dog’.
“If you hit one of those, you have a legal duty to report the crash to the police. If you take steps to avoid hitting such an animal, a court may deem that action as reasonable behaviour.
“The bad news for smaller creatures like cats, squirrels, rabbits, foxes and badgers is that they’re not large enough to be deemed a significant threat that needs to be avoided.
“A court may simply not find it ‘reasonable’ for a motorist to perform an emergency stop or swerve to avoid a small animal if doing so could harm other humans.
“It’s important to be aware of the dangers and to remember that an insurer is unlikely to pay out to a motorist who has caused an accident through driving in this manner.”
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