Stray dogs invade Moroccan highways

The presence of these animals, roaming freely in a high-traffic area, constitutes an immediate danger. Drivers are alerting to the increased risk of fatal accidents, especially since the toll station areas are zones of slowing down and concentration of vehicles. For users, this situation is considered unacceptable given the toll fees paid, which should theoretically finance an infrastructure impervious to outside intrusions. Witnesses have described the scene as a harbinger of a possible catastrophe.

The responsibility of the highway company already engaged by the justice system

This security problem is not new and has already been the subject of several court decisions unfavorable to the network operator. On several occasions, Moroccan courts have held the National Motorway Company of Morocco responsible for damages caused by collisions with animals.

The administrative court of Tangier, for example, ordered the company to pay more than 154,000 dirhams to a motorist who had hit a stray dog. Similar judgments have been handed down in Rabat and Casablanca, with compensation ranging from 32,000 to 60,000 dirhams for accidents involving dogs or donkeys. The justice system considers in these cases that the company has shown negligence in the maintenance of fences and protective barriers, thus recalling its legal obligation to secure the roads.