With warm weather here, and summer road trips on the horizon, drivers need to be on the alert for four-legged critters on the move along B.C.’s highways and roads.
“Animals don’t follow traffic rules,” says Trace Acres, program director for Road Safety at Work. “Even a small deer can cause a serious crash, and it often happens before the driver has time to react.”
According to statistics from ICBC, crashes involving animals are on the increase, rising each year between 2019 (11,312 crashes province-wide) and 2023 (12,825 crashes), with an average of 996 injured victims each year. The only recent year that did not see an increase over the previous year was 2020, when fewer drivers were on the road due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Southern Interior (which includes the southern third of the province, including the Kamloops area and the Okanagan and Kootenay regions, and extends as far south and west as Boston Bar and Lillooet) has consistently seen the highest number of crashes involving animals over the past five years, and once again, the numbers are increasing year on year (apart from 2020). Some 4,809 crashes were reported in 2019, rising to 5,548 in 2023, with an average of 439 injured victims each year.
ICBC also notes that the actual numbers may be much higher due to under-reporting.
Collisions with deer often increase in May, while collisions with moose increase during June and July. Wildlife collisions are more common during dawn and dusk — from 6 to 8 a.m. and 5 to 8 p.m. — when animals are most active and visibility can be poor, either due to low light conditions or the sun shining in your eyes. Collisions often occur on highways and roads connecting rural and suburban areas, and near good habitat and forage sites such as green belts, parks, fields, and golf courses.
A male elk can weigh more than 300 kg (700 pounds), and a male moose can weigh up to 700 kg (1,500 pounds). The force of a collision with such a large animal can cause serious injuries when drivers lose control of their vehicle and go off the road or hit another vehicle. ICBC reports that an average of two people are killed each year due to collisions with wildlife.
Animals are unpredictable, and may appear to be leaving the road, then turn suddenly and run right in front of you. Drivers should remain alert during peak wildlife hours, and watch for animal crossing signs, which are posted along roads where wildlife is often seen. Scan the roadsides, looking for movement or shining eyes, and slow down if you see an animal at the side of the road; others might be nearby.
Pay attention to other drivers: someone flashing their headlights may be signalling that they’ve seen an animal. If you do see an animal, resist the urge to stop and take pictures, as this might endanger you or other drivers. You can also try planning your route to avoid key wildlife areas during high-risk times.
If a collision seems imminent, apply the brakes firmly (don’t jam them) and try not to swerve, as you might head into oncoming traffic or collide with a different hazard. If you do need to swerve, aim for where the animal came from, and try to sound your horn, to encourage the animal to get out of the way.
“The best way to protect yourself is to stay alert, slow down, and be prepared for the unexpected,” Acres says. “You can’t predict what an animal will do, but you can adjust your driving to lower your chances of a crash.”
