A 20-year-old man surnamed Hsieh, yesterday early morning, was riding a motorcycle on Sheding Park Road in Kenting National Park when he collided with a Formosan Sika Deer.
Hsieh was found critically injured at 1 a.m. and was rushed to the hospital but did not survive. The Formosan Sika deer also tragically died at the roadside.
This is the first case in the country where both a human and a deer died in a collision between a deer and a motor vehicle.
The police are investigating Xie for drunk driving and driving without a license, and the cause of the accident is still under investigation.
The Kenting National Park Management Office stated that the incident occurred in an area known for frequent deer sightings and has warning signs in place. They also have public liability insurance coverage for such accidents.
According to the police investigation, the male surnamed Xie participated in a temple festival the previous night and returned home to Sheding in Kenting by motorcycle.
The day before early morning, he went out again to visit friends. His family reminded him to drive safely, but it was reported later that he had a collision accident with a Formosan sika deer on Park Road in Sheding, Kenting. Due to the low number of residents in the area and poor visibility at the time of the incident, it took an hour before he was discovered.
The police and medical personnel arrived at the scene, but Xie had no breath or heartbeat. Despite being urgently transported to the hospital, his injuries were severe, and he did not survive.
The Formosan sika deer was also critically injured and found dead by the roadside. Hsieh did not have a driver’s license, and a blood test revealed an estimated blood alcohol content of 0.57 milligrams.
According to Deputy Director Hsu Shu-guo (許書國) of the Kenting National Park Management Office, the Formosan sika deer has a stable population in the wild within the Kenting National Park.
Multiple warning signs have been installed in areas where deer, such as Sheding, Longluantan, and Longpan, frequently appear.
These signs remind drivers to slow down when passing through these areas, especially during the night and early morning when the Formosan sika deer are more active.
It is essential for the public to reduce speed and drive cautiously. However, sporadic accidents still occur.
Hsu Shu-guo stated that, indeed, injuries caused by collisions with Formosan sika deer within the park are covered by public liability insurance for individuals.
To file a claim, it is necessary to prepare the completed three-part accident report, relevant recorded images, identification documents, driver’s license, vehicle registration, and evidence of damages.
These materials should be submitted to the Kenting National Park Management Office, which will then process the insurance claim with the insurance company. The maximum compensation for personal injury is 6 million NTD per person and 5 million NTD for property damage.
The insurance company will negotiate the settlement amount based on the degree of liability, and the Kenting National Park Management Office will provide assistance throughout the process.
I think I must also add that even if Sika Deers are considered to be one of the main cultural diversities of Kenting (more on this here), there are also growing population of deers are starting to affect humans in the area, and causing agricultural damage to Kenting. If you are interested to read more about this discussion, go to this article.