Safe driving in the New Forest
In 2007, 90 animals were killed and many more injured as a result of road traffic accidents on the unfenced New Forest roads.
(This figure does not include deer casualties, which are also very high.)
The information on these pages is intended to promote safer driving on the unfenced New Forest roads, so that we can all help to reduce the current level of animal casualties.
The “stock animals” (ponies, cattle, donkeys, pigs and sheep) that you see on these roads are owned by Commoners of the New Forest. A Commoner is someone who occupies land or property which come with ancient legal rights over the Forest. One of these rights (called "Common of Pasture") allows Commoners to turn out their animals onto the Open Forest.
The animals have the ‘right of way’ over the motorised traffic, but will not wait to be invited to cross the road. They are unpredictable in their movements. Unfortunately, this means that many of them are involved in road traffic accidents and are either killed outright or have to be humanly destroyed because of their injuries.
Remember! New Forest animals have no more road sense than a 2 year old child!
Find Out More
How to drive safely around New Forest animals