National Road Kill Day: How to Drive Safely When Wild Animals are Present

Sep 25, 2023

We love sharing driver tips and tricks with our readers! Today, we’re sharing something that may be a little unconventional for a blog topic, but at the same time is a pretty regular occurrence on the road. According to AAA and the Federal Highway Administration, nearly two million collisions occur between wildlife and vehicles annually in the US. Since today is National RoadKill Day, we’re here to help you navigate the ins-and-outs of driving safely around wildlife, what to do if you accidentally hit an animal, and how to remove roadkill out of the main path until authorities can arrive. (Be sure to share this advice with younger drivers, too, so they can be in the know and drive as safely as possible.)

How to avoid collision with animals and wildlife:

Stay alert, be vigilant. Be on the lookout for signs that indicate a high animal crossing area. You may notice species specific signs such as deer, moose, bear, etc depending on the area you’re traveling in. If you’re driving in rural areas, you may notice signs for cattle, sheep, and other domesticated farm animal crossing areas. During migration seasons, additional road signage may be added to highways and streets alerting drivers for high-traffic areas of wildlife migration.

Keep your own pets safely stowed inside the vehicle cabin in crates, car seats, or other safety restraints; simply placing the animal on a passenger/driver’s lap or holding them in your arms is not sufficient. If you’re traveling with your faithful furry companions in tow, it’s important to be mindful of their behavior when approaching wildlife on the road. Make sure that your pets are safely secured with restraint devices, to avoid additional distractions such as them lunging, climbing, or jumping forwards to get a closer look. Make sure that your pet is unable to lean out of or squeeze through any open windows or hatchbacks, being mindful to trigger window-locks, child-safety features in the rear doors, and otherwise barring escape routes. Escaped family pets chasing wildlife can cause additional stress and accidents on the road!

Pay extra attention during Dusk and Dawn. Many animals are crepuscular, meaning they’re primarily active at dawn and at dusk, the times that they feel are safest to avoid their predators. This means that your chances of collision are higher during these hours, so you’ll want to remain extra attentive. The animals may be more prey or food focused as well, and may leap to grab a bite to eat without cautiously surveying the area. Be prepared to stop more frequently.

Where there is one, there are likely many! Lots of animals move in groups, flocks, and herds. If you notice one lone animal or a few sparse stragglers crossing, stop and pause to observe if there are additional animals coming behind them. It’s always a good idea to err on the side of caution and wait to see if there are more nearby.

Be mindful of Seasonal factors such as wet leaves, rain, snow, and ice. Certain animals may also be more visible or less visible in different weather conditions. Check the wildlife in your area for their seasonal mating patterns, and be extra attentive during those times. Some animals may also venture out with their offspring in the Spring/Summer season, increasing regional populations. Being mindful as well of any wet, slippery, and icy conditions can help you maintain safe distance and reasonable speeds to further reduce your statistical chances of accidents in this time frame. Additionally, October through December are peak mating and hunting season times, so animals are more likely to be on the move.
Use your high beams and reduce your speed. Many of these animals will do their best to avoid bright light, and it may increase your chances of preventing a collision. Animals will see the lights coming, and steer clear of the roadways. Likewise, this can provide additional visibility on dark or dimly lit roadways, providing you extra safety measures in spotting wildlife before it’s too late. Flicking your high beams on and off at incoming wildlife may also encourage them to turn around and avoid crossing.
Be on the lookout for loose dogs and stray cats, especially in urban and residential areas. While it would be ideal if Fido and Fifi could stay in their homes or yards or safely attached to leashes, accidents happen and sometimes household pets make a break for it. In busy city areas or suburban streets, your chances of coming across a stray dog or cat increase. Additionally, some people do not obey leash laws and allow their dogs off-lead walking space, which can lead to animals darting away from their owners unexpectedly to chase another animal or greet someone across the street. Driving the posted speed limit in these areas is important, to avoid hitting someone’s household pet and causing injuries or death.
Use your brakes, but don’t swerve! Reducing your speeds, honking the car horn, flashing your lights, and tapping your brakes can not only warn the incoming animals but may alert other drivers behind you or in front of you. If there are no other drivers behind you, hard braking to avoid collision is recommended. If you find collision is inevitable, do your best not to swerve, and instead maintain control of your vehicle so you don’t veer off the road or skid into other obstacles or cars.

What to do if you find roadkill on the street:

Roadkill should be removed from roadways as soon as possible; call local authorities. Leaving the deceased carcass in the road can cause additional accidents as drivers swerve to avoid hitting it, as well as attracting additional scavenging wildlife to the area hoping for a meal. The best way to remove the roadkill is contacting local authorities; animal control or other law enforcement agencies will come to the area to remove it.
If you must remove roadkill from your property or quiet street yourself, follow important safety precautions. Wildlife carries a high risk of transferring pets, diseases, bacteria, and other zoonotic illness, and this is especially true of deceased animals. It is best that you call local pest removal companies to dispose of the animal. However, if you are in a situation where this is not possible, and the carcass needs to be removed immediately, follow safety protocols. Make sure you do not touch the roadkill with your bare hands; though as mentioned it is inadvisable to move the roadkill yourself, if you must, be sure to use a mask, thick gloves as well as a shovel or other implement that enables you to lift it without touching it and transfer it to heavy-duty garbage bags, and place safely out of the way of incoming drivers. Clean the area by hosing it down and using an environmentally friendly disinfectant to clean the area of hazardous bacteria.
Do not attempt to salvage or reclaim the roadkill. Some sport hunters and taxidermists may be tempted to take the roadkill home to repurpose, but in most states this is strictly prohibited. Some states or towns may allow this with specific permits or tags if it is then registered with local state authorities within a limited time frame (usually within 24 hrs). Again, this is not recommended due to high risk of disease and parasites, and you should always adhere to local and state regulations.