Authorities are warning drivers to look out for deer crossing roads after five deer were found dead on the A35.

The Deer Initiative and Highways England is asking drivers to look out for deer crossing country roads, as they can cause a risk to road safety.

The message was prompted by the discovery of five deer dead at the same point on the A35 in Dorset.

Leonardo Gubert, senior ecologist at Highways England, said: “Sadly, the outcome of a collision involving a deer can be much more catastrophic than vehicle damage or injury to the animal.

“You may be well-travelled and on a well-known route without a previous sighting, but there may be deer hidden in nearby foliage or woodlands and some species of deer can gather often in large groups; you may have seen one and avoided it but others may follow and unexpectedly dart out into the roadway.

“We want everyone travelling on our roads to reach their destination safely and with as many as 1.5 million wild deer living across Britain it is vital for drivers to be aware of their presence, to be extra vigilant, especially at this time of year when deer are on the move, and to follow our advice.”

Figures from various studies suggests that there could be around 400 people injured in deer-related road collisions each year in conservative estimated, while 40,000 deer or even more are killed.

Anyone who hits a deer while driving is advised to ensure that everyone is safe and park the car in a safe place with the hazard lights on.

Call the police and call an ambulance in the event of human injuries.

Michael Potter, Dorset Council road safety manager, said: “We support these organisations in this campaign and would urge Dorset drivers to take this advice onboard to help keep our roads safe.

“Our concentration can slip when on roads that we regularly use; becoming complacent to potential hazards including deer.

“At this time of year, we should be more aware to the potential for deer to be on or near to the road and choose to drive appropriately.”

Drivers can report incidents at deeraware.com