A driver had a “very lucky escape” after a collision with a cow on an unlit road led to the animal bouncing into his windscreen. Police attended the road traffic collision on the outskirts of Ballymoney, Northern Ireland, on Friday night where the black cow had been hit by the car in darkness.
The animal “bounced up on the bonnet and onto the windscreen” said a PSNI spokesperson. The cow sustained injuries “which were beyond repair” and a local vet attended the scene alongside the PSNI to put the animal put down humanely. The male driver, while safe and well, was left shaken by the incident.
Police have said that although smashed, the windscreen held until the car came to a standstill which helped the man escape potentially serious injuries. A PSNI spokesperson said that the driver was not driving over the speed limit during the incident which also reduced his chances of injury.
“Last night Rural Neighbourhood Officers attended a Road Traffic Collision on the outskirts of Ballymoney but this wasn’t a car v car…this was a car v cow,” said the spokesperson for the force, reported BelfastLive.
“As you can see from the image the cow bounced up the bonnet and onto the windscreen which thankfully held until the driver got stopped. Thankfully this driver was doing the speed limit which may have saved his life!
“A black cow on an unlit road led to a written off car but thankfully a safe and well, but shaken up driver. Unfortunately the animal involved sustained injuries which were beyond repair and was seen to by a local vet who attended the scene.”
But the force also issued a warning telling motorists to be “vigilant” while at the same time urging people with livestock or animals to keep a check on them and ensure that they are “housed and contained”.
“Please be vigilant at all times whilst driving, abide by the speed limits and stay safe. If you own livestock, or animals of any sort even just your pets, please be sure to ensure they are appropriately housed and contained,” said the PSNI spokesperson.
“Think smart, Stay Smart and Stay Safe,” they added. Commenting on social media after the accident, one woman also urged livestock owners to make contact details available.
“So many times I’ve seen loose animals, animals in distress etc and of course tried to help – returning cows, sheep etc to fields, restoring upturned/fence-bound sheep etc but struggled to find any number to call for help or to notify a relevant person,” she said.
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