Avoiding Wildlife Accidents on The Road

You see them every day, lying by the side of the freeway or in the middle of the road. Broken and battered, these animals are the innocent victims of our dependence on cars.  Their deaths are made even more tragic by the fact that in many cases, they could have been prevented.  As our cities and suburbs continue to expand and encroach on their habitats, highways and byways become places to search for food and obstacles that must be crossed to reach water, a new home, or a mate.

Studies show that over 100 million animals are killed by cars every year.  It is a shocking number, but one that can be reduced.  Animal-friendly public planning policies such as refraining from building in sensitive wildlife corridors, building tunnels underneath roads for animals to use, and increasing mass transit would go a long way towards saving lives.

But policies like these are only part of the solution.  The single most important thing each of us can do is to drive safely.  Many car accidents, including those with animals, involve excessive speed.  So the first “rule of the road” is to slow down. Keep in mind, speeding is not only dangerous for people and animals, it doesn’t get you where you’re going much faster.  On a 30 mile trip, you will arrive a mere five minutes earlier if you drive 65 mph instead of 55 mph.

Just as drivers must share the road with bicyclists, motorcyclists, and pedestrians, we must remember that animals share our roads as well.  And because a ten pound animal is no match for a car, it is up to us to watch out for them.  Raccoons, skunks, and opossums are frequent victims because they can’t move quickly, they often have babies following them, and they may freeze or stand their ground in the face of danger, which to them is your oncoming headlights.  Cats may dart out after your headlights have passed, but before your car has. And dogs will run onto the road without even noticing oncoming traffic.

It’s a dangerous world out there, but with safety in mind and a willingness to be part of the solution, we can reduce the tragic toll on our nation’s roads.  Here are some tips on how we can keep the streets safe for animal pedestrians.

So please, give wildlife a break, by putting on the brakes!