Elk strikes vehicle on Polish expressway, killing passenger
A 40-year-old woman died after her car collided with an elk on the S61 near Czerwonka, while the 45-year-old driver sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
Around 21:30 on Friday, a vehicle traveling on the S61 expressway near the village of Czerwonka in northern Poland struck an elk that entered the roadway. The collision caused fatal injuries to a 40-year-old woman seated in the passenger seat, and the 45-year-old driver was also hurt, though his injuries are not life-threatening. Police confirmed the woman's death at a hospital and reported that the road remained closed for several hours while emergency crews responded.
The incident is being examined by both police and the prosecutor's office to determine the exact circumstances. Experts note that such accidents have become more frequent as expanding road networks intersect areas where elk populations are concentrated, particularly in the northeast of the country.
Why it matters
The crash highlights growing safety risks where expanding roads intersect wildlife habitats in Poland.
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