The UK is a nation of brute lovers and so many motorists instinctively brake difficult or swerve to avoid hitting a cat, dog or even a rabbit.

But is this the right course of activity when it could endanger homo lives? And where do you stand legally if you cause an accident equally a upshot?

An emergency finish or evasive action is justified if a kid runs into the path of a automobile but there legal grey areas when information technology comes to animals.

A violent change of direction or an precipitous halt has the potential to put a driver, their passengers and other road users in grave danger so swerving away from an animal in the road is not necessarily the best class of action.

The risk of serious injury and impairment to vehicles has to exist weighed upwards against the significance of the life of the unfortunate animal on the highway.

Essentially, an emergency terminate should only be performed when the fauna in question is big enough to cause damage to your car windscreen and injure y'all or your passengers.

D'oh! A deer in the road is a hazard to drivers

D'oh! A deer in the route is a gamble to drivers

And swerving or swift evasive activeness should simply be attempted if you lot are confident that you are not putting yourself, your passengers or whatever other road users in danger.

Given y'all only have a dissever second to act, information technology is worth taking a moment now to decide what you would do in these circumstances so y'all are mentally prepared in case it does happen.

If y'all cause an blow because you swerved or slammed the brakes on to avoid hitting an animal so there are few hard and fast rules.

The courts volition take each case on its individual claim.

However, as a general dominion of thumb, animals large enough to justify an emergency stop are dogs, horses, cattle, pigs, goats, sheep, donkeys and mules.

The Route Traffic Deed 1988 says that hitting any of these animals, whether they are injured or dead, should exist reported to the police as they could cause issues for other drivers and further accidents.

When is it acceptable to swerve for an animal in the road?

When is it acceptable to swerve for an animal in the road?

By extension, the police deems it acceptable to run over animals such as cats, rabbits, foxes, ducks, pheasants or squirrels because braking or swerving puts other road users at risk.

Insurers are unlikely to pay out to whatsoever motorist who causes an accident by stopping or swerving to avoid hitting a modest animate being.

If you hit a subcontract animal or a pet dog then you might contend that information technology is the responsibility of the owner and you may be able to claim on your insurance.

Good luck with that.

Nonetheless, insurance companies will presume it's your fault if you lot hit a wild animal, whether in that location is signage alarm of their presence or non. It is your responsibility every bit a commuter to appraise the risks and to drive accordingly.

If you see an injured animal by the roadside, it may not be safe to approach it. Y'all should call the RSPCA helpline on 0300 1234 999.