Health and Safety

How to Avoid Being a RoadKiller

Every day in the U.S., 190 million motor vehicles hit the road, and every day the death toll of animals hit by motorists ranges from 500,000 to 1,000,000 -no kidding! That's counting cars, buses, motorbikes, and trucks, but not ATV's, snowmobiles and other off-road vehicles. And that's counting mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians, but not insects and bugs. For every animal bumped off by a bumper that we see gutted in the gutter, three or four more die unnoticed. (Notice how many more bumped skunks you smell than you see.) The walking wounded and crawling crippled manage to die far from the road, so only instantly killed animals are seen and get counted in this tally. Here are some tips to help you avoid being part of the problem.

Birds Many birds cannot rise fast enough to evade an oncoming car unless they fly directly ahead of the car, using the air current it pushes to provide extra lift. If you brake for a bird flying straight ahead of you, you may take away the push he needs and send him crashing into your windshield. Lift your foot off the gas -but do not brake- until the bird rises above your car or peels away to one side.

Cats Cars killed 5.4 million cats last year, most of them at night. Typically cats know cars are dangerous, but confuse the beams from your headlights with your car itself. When the lights go by them, they think it's safe to dash out. Expect them to make that mistake and you'll be quicker to react if they do.

Dogs 1.2 million dogs were killed on U.S. roads last year, and most of them were likely chasing something -a ball, a child, a cat, a squirrel. When you see anything that a dog might chase enter the road, be ready for the dog that may follow.

Opossums Opossums feast on roadkill, a habit that gets about 8.3 million of them a year roadkilled. A large object in the road at night may be roadkill plus an opossum, who may either freeze in your headlights or try to get away -but opossums don't run very fast, so slow down until you've positively assessed the situation.

Rabbits Common in late spring, a rabbit scared out of the road by the car ahead of you might circle right back to the road. Try tapping your horn as you approach where the rabbit went, to freeze him out of harm's way.

Snakes Coldblooded snakes will warm themselves on pavement in late summer, but they often can't move away quickly when a car approaches. If you see a straight object that looks like a stick in the road, assume it's a snake until you know it isn't.

Skunks In July and August, a mama skunk may be leading four to seven kittens across the road, and they may trail up to 20 feet behind her. If you see one skunk, look for more before assuming it's safe to pass.

Raccoons Raccoons often travel in family groups of up to seven members, so if one raccoon is hit, the rest may stay beside her and get hit, too. Raccoons also scavenge roadkills. They'll turn to face a sudden danger, often stepping into the path of a speeding car. Try to avoid getting their attention. Don't jam on the brakes, don't accelerate; just ease off the gas and cruise casually by.

Deer More than 100 Americans are killed each year in deer/car collisions -and 70% of the time the driver slowed down for one deer, then stepped on the gas and hit another. Deer babies are as big as their mamas in October and November, but they are still babies, and they still follow Mama. Mamas often have two fawns, so if you see one deer, slow down and look for two more. In spring and summer, deer hide from danger. In fall, when the leaves are down, they run. More than half of all deer/car collisions occur in October and November. If you see hunters' vehicles parked by the road, watch for frightened deer running from gunfire, or hunters and/or dogs driving deer.

Moose In winter, moose will lick road salt and travel along plowed roads. At night, moose are almost invisible because they are dark, don't make sudden moves, and are tall enough that your tired eyes fixed to the headlit roadway may not recognize them. Slow down in moose country and keep your eyes moving up and to the sides.

Turtles In spring, so many turtles are hit by cars as they migrate between breeding ponds that many species have become regionally endangered. If you're near wetlands and see a rounded lump in the road, assume it's a turtle until you know otherwise.

In General It's easier and safer to anticipate animals entering the road than it is to miss them once they're in front of you. Watch for sudden movement in roadside grass and shrubbery. Remember that most lines in the woods are vertical -if you see something horizontal, it may be an animal.

Created: July 1, 1999 by ITA Staff