Hitting an animal is not just emotionally upsetting. Even a smaller animal can damage a vehicle. A larger animal can cause a serious collision. Here are some ideas on how to avoid hitting them:
- Be extra careful in the early morning or at dusk and during the night. These times are when animals are most likely to be on the road.
- Slow down and look ahead into the ditch for movement or for the reflection of animal eyes in your headlights.
- Some animals, especially deer, may panic when they see your headlights and may freeze in the road. If you see an animal, slow down until you are well past them.
- Moose will often attempt to escape from a car by continuing to run along the road. This may pose a hazard to other drivers. If it is safe to do so, pull over or slow to a very low speed until the animal leaves the road.
- Many animals travel in groups. If you see one on the road, slow down -- there may be more following.
- If you see a large dead animal in the road, please call the police or the local Ministry of Transportation and Highways office. We need to remove the body from the traffic lanes before it causes an accident.
- Above all, watch for the wildlife warning signs, which are posted at areas where experience shows animals are likely to be on the road.
