Avoiding Animals on the Roadway

You may have heard these before:

"Why did the chicken cross the road? To prove to the deer that it could be done." Or "Why did the turkey cross the road? To prove he wasn't a chicken."

In all seriousness, motor vehicle crashes with larger wildlife like elk, moose, and deer can result in extensive vehicle damage, serious injury and even death.

And with spring here, it's a good time to remind drivers about animal hazards.

Use caution, particularly during dawn and dusk, when driver fatigue and visibility can be factors.

Two reasons roads attract wildlife:

• The road is looked at by animals as a travel corridor that gives easy access to vegetation. 
• At certain times of the year, roads also provide a source of salt for the animals.

Driving at posted speed limits will give you more time to react or stop if an animal suddenly appears in your path. The severity of a collision increases as speed increases, making the potential for death or serious injury more significant.

Don't forget that wildlife can pose a risk in urban areas, too, especially those close to river valleys, open green space or city outskirts.

As cities continue to expand and encroach on wildlife territory, motorists need to be on the watch for animals both in and out of the city.

Ways to reduce the chances of collisions with wildlife: 

• Reduce your speed.
• Scan well ahead for wildlife.
• Be extra-cautious during night-time travel.  

If you see wildlife on or near the road:

• Look ahead for oncoming vehicles and check your mirrors for what’s behind you.
• Slow down and blow your horn with a series of short bursts. This may encourage an animal to move out of the roadway.
• If you see an animal on the road, look for others, some species travel in groups.
• Leave plenty of room when driving by an animal on or near a road – a frightened animal is unpredictable and may run in any direction.
• If you have to stop to avoid an animal, use the threshold braking technique.
• If you can’t stop for a large animal, swerve around the hind end of it. Heading in the same direction it's going, increases your chance of a crash.

Tips to reducing collisions with wildlife:

• If you are involved in an animal collision:

  Follow your company policy regarding what to do at the scene of a collision (ie, report the collision to your insurance company and local police service).

  In cases where an animal is injured or poses a threat to public safety, contact the nearest Fish and Wildlife office of Alberta Sustainable Resource Development.

  To have road kill removed, contact the highway maintenance contractor responsible for that area, or the nearest regional office of Alberta Transportation by calling 310-0000.

  Improve your visibility by keeping the vehicle's windshield clean inside and out.
• Make sure all your vehicle lights are working and keep the headlights clean and visible.
• Obey speed limits and drive at a speed appropriate to conditions.
• Look well ahead and pay attention to all wildlife warning signs.
• Scan the road and ditches for signs of movement.
• Reduce your speed at night and never overdrive your headlights.
• Reduce your speed prior to a curve, when reaching the crest of a hill or in wildlife-populated areas.
• Use high beams whenever possible. Deer eyes will glow when struck by light.
• Remember, lights from oncoming traffic at night can make it difficult to see an animal on the road.
• Be extra alert in the spring during birthing season and the fall during rutting, mating and hunting season.
• Watch for animals in both rural and urban areas. Don’t assume there is no risk just because most of your driving is within city or town limits.
• Whenever possible drive during daylight hours. Animal migration happens mostly during early morning and twilight hours. By trying to restrict your driving to daylight hours you’ll reduce your risk of a wildlife crash.
• If the driver ahead of you is braking or slowing, decrease your speed accordingly, as they may be responding to a risk you haven’t seen yet.
• If a crash looks inevitable, try to reduce the impact. Angular hits and braking firmly can lessen the impact if you are unable to avoid hitting an animal.