BERLIN: The best way to avoid hitting a wild animal when you're on the road is by staying alert and driving at a safe speed.

And yet sometimes, when driving along miles of road through a forest, running into an animal is just impossible to avoid, so you need to know what to do in the event that it does happen.

The first thing to do is make sure the scene of the accident is safe, say experts from a European driving association (ACE). Turn on your hazards, put on your high-visibility vest then place the warning triangle a safe distance from the car.

Call the police and, if possible, the forestry service too, as you will likely need their help with the paperwork for full insurance cover.

As much as you might want to help the animal you've just hit, it's best to wait until the police or local forester is on the scene, as the animal may be carrying a disease. Larger animals have also been known to get aggressive and hurt drivers when injured.

What's more, touching a lightly injured animal could make its recovery harder. Even if it survives the accident, your scent on the animal could cause it to be rejected by its herd.

Driving the animal to a vet may also be a risky business. Depending on your local laws, could be charged or even jailed for poaching.

What you can do, however, is take pictures of the scene and of any damage to your car, as this will help make sure you get insurance coverage.

Usually if you have partial or full insurance coverage, they'll pay any damages resulting from accidents with animals such as deer or wild boars.

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