Wildlife on the Road

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Resource Center: Automobile Insurance / Traffic Safety

Wildlife on the Road
Animals on roadways present safety hazards to drivers. October through December is an especially high-traffic time for animals moving from one part of their habitats to another while they breed and forage for food, although they can, and do, appear on roads throughout the year.

$2,800 is the average cost per insurance claim on a vehicle involved in a collision with an animal.

Drivers that purchase optional comprehensive coverage on their insurance policies are covered for the damage. Comprehensive coverage also covers hail, fire, theft, flood, earthquake, explosion, and falling objects.

Click the links below to learn more:

•	Driver Safety Tips
•	If you hit an animal
•	Colorado Statistics
•	National Statistics
•	Other Resources

Driver Safety Tips

•	Stay Alert. Avoid driving with other distractions.
•	Slow Down to increase your reaction time.
•	Scan Ahead and watch for movement along roadsides.
•	Look for more animals after you see one animal - they often travel in groups.
•	Brake. Don't Swerve.
•	Be ready for animals to change direction.
•	Don't litter - it attracts animals.
•	Obey traffic signs, including wildlife warning and speed limit signs.
•	Don't drink and drive.

At Night:

•	Watch for shining eyes.
•	Use high beams to improve visibility when there's no oncoming traffic.
•	Slow down on blind curves.
•	Pass with care.

If you hit an animal
If you cannot stop in time, unfortunate as it may be, it is usually safer to hit the animal than to swerve. Swerving may land you in the path of another car or off the road in a ditch.

Pull over and call the State Patrol (dial *CSP from your cell phone in Colorado) or local law enforcement to report the accident. If the animal is still on the roadway, they can safely remove it.

If the animal is still alive, it may be dangerous for you to leave your vehicle.

If you vehicle is unsafe to operate or you are injured, stay in your car and wait for help.

Call your insurance agent at your earliest opportunity. If you carry optional comprehensive coverage it will cover damage caused by a collision with an animal.

Colorado Statistics
26,190 animal-vehicle collisions were reported on Colorado's roadways in the twelve years spanning 1993 to 2004. According to the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), October and November see more animal-vehicle collisions than any other time of year. 490 such collisions were reported across the state in October 2004, and 580 in November 2004.

25 people were killed in animal-vehicle collisions from 1993-2004. 2,266 sustained injuries. 22,388 experienced property damage, according to CDOT.

A study by the Southern Rockies Ecosystem Project, funded by the Federal Highway Administration, examined 100 known linkages, or commonly traveled pathways, between animal habitats and found many cross Colorado roads. The study identified the following locations as being extremely hazardous for drivers and wildlife:

•	I-70 at Floyd Hill/Mt. Vernon Canyon
•	US 285 at Morrison
•	HWY 160, Durango to Pagosa Springs and Durango to Mancos
•	HWY 550, North of Durango and Montrose to Ouray
•	I-25 Castle Rock to Larkspur
•	HWY 82 Glenwood Springs to Marble
•	HWY 36 Boulder to Lyons
•	I-70 Eagle

National Statistics
The Center for Disease Control has found that one quarter of all animal-vehicle collisions result in human injury.

Approximately 200 deaths per year are caused by animal-vehicle collisions, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, up from an average of 119 deaths per year in 1993-1997, and an average of 155 between 1998-2002.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety estimates more than 1.5 million deer collisions take place each year in the United States, costing approximately $1.1 billion in vehicle damage.

$2,800 is the average cost per insurance claim on a vehicle involved in a collision with an animal.