About two to three lambs are struck by cars each day in northwest Iceland, MBL reports. Police in the Westfjords town of Ísafjörður say this is due in large part to drivers underestimating the road conditions and not driving slowly enough.
If you drive in the Icelandic countryside these days, when the sheep are roaming freely in the hills, you might notice that some sheep – especially young lambs who don’t know any better – often wander close to the road, if not in it. Police want to remind people to drive reasonably, and have their eyes open for lambs near the road.
Saddest of all, far too many drivers fail to report having struck a lamb. While most farmers do have insurance against such a loss, the lambs themselves are often left behind in great pain, suffering until they are discovered and put out of their misery.
If the unfortunate happens and you strike a lamb or sheep on the road, pull over at once and call 112. Chances are, area police will know which farm the lambs belong to. You might be fined, if the police find you negligent, but the locals will think better of you for owning up to your part in the accident rather than trying to flee the scene.
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