Game, fences and motor vehicle accidents : spatial patterns in the Eastern Cape

Abstract

In South Africa, very little research on motor vehicle accidents involving animals has been done. Transport networks expand while traffic volumes and speed increases. Animals entering the road reserve pose dangers to vehicles. In the Eastern Cape, the presence of an abundance of kudu creates hazardous driving conditions for motorists. For collision prevention and the establishment of public awareness programmes, it is imperative to identify hazardous sections. In this study road traffic collision reports of a chosen route in the Eastern Cape were analysed. It was determined that the presence of long stretches of game proof fences partially clustered the spatial distribution of collision sites. Road trajectories with few or no game proof fences displayed a random distribution of collision sites. “Hotspots” were identified on which traffic authorities can focus mitigating and preventative measures.