The fall months, which encompass October through December, are associated with mating seasons and migration for many wild animals. During these months, they’re typically more active than they are during the hotter months. This increase is more common at dusk and dawn, which means drivers should be more careful at those times.
Wildlife don’t always watch for roads, so they might dart in front of moving vehicles or slam into the sides of them. Drivers may swerve to avoid hitting the animal, but this puts the driver in danger of hitting a vehicle in an adjoining lane.
How can drivers increase safety?
One of the best ways to enhance safety is to know where wildlife is more likely. This is often in rural areas that are filled with natural habitats for them. This doesn’t mean that drivers won’t encounter deer and other animals in the city, so they should be watchful there, too.
Drivers can watch for signs that wildlife is near the road. Oftentimes, it’s possible to see the reflection from your headlights in the animal’s eyes. Slowing down a bit in areas where wildlife is likely may help to reduce the chance of a serious crash.
Around 20% of fatalities involving wildlife involved more than one vehicle. In about half of those cases, the animal was flung by one vehicle into the other. In some of the remaining crashes, one vehicle struck the animal and then got into a crash with another vehicle.
When more than one vehicle is involved, victims of the crash may turn to the at-fault driver for compensation. This is only possible within a specific time set by law, so victims should ensure they explore that option quickly.
