Six Hampshire roads have today been named as being among the worst in the country for accidents involving deer.

Deer are thought to be involved in as many as 74,000 collisions across the UK every year, resulting in hundreds of injuries to drivers and several deaths.

Three of the worst roads in Hampshire are the A31 at Cadnam, the A337 Lyndhurst to Brockenhurst road and the A35 south of Lyndhurst.

Elsewhere in the county a large number of deer-related incidents occur on the A34, M27 and the M3, making Winchester, Southampton and Fareham among the other accident blackspots.

The Highways Agency is urging motorists to be “Deer Aware” as collisions between deer and vehicles increase in October.

Crash expert Dr Jochen Langbein, who has been investigating the problem, said: “At this time of year, peak traffic times coincide with dawn and dusk when deer activity is at its daily peak.”

Drivers are being urged to use full-beam when there is no oncoming traffic, avoid “over-swerving” to avoid a deer and only brake sharply if there is no danger of being hit from behind by following traffic.

All deer-related collisions should be reported to the police, who will arrange to the injured animal to be treated at the roadside.