Roadkill Avoidance Tips
Compiled by Merritt Clifton, editor, Animal People
The Numbing Numbers
Every day in the U.S.A., 190 million motor vehicles hit the road, and as many as 1 million animals get hit by motor
vehicles. 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 with boneless backs, who somehow never
count....Fauna fatalities peak along secondary roads through edge habitat where field meets forest or where meadow meets marsh.
Add more during late summer and early fall, when springborn leave home to strike out on their own. And add more on new and
full moons, when drivers seem more reckless and animals less reclusive. And more on Friday and Saturday nights, when celebratory
drivers get "smashed" and when unsuspecting animals get smashed too.
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.
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 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 prepared 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, look for the dog.
Opossums
Opossums feast on roadkill, a habit that gets about 8.3 million opossums a year roadkilled. A large object in the road
at night may be roadkill and an opossum, who may either freeze in your headlights or try to run away. Opossums don't run very
fast, so slow down until you've positively identified the situation.
Rabbits
Common in late spring, a rabbit scared out of the road by the car ahead of you might circle right back into the road. A
quick tap of your horn as you approach where the rabbit went may freeze him out of harm's way.
Beavers
In spring young beavers leave their parents to seek their own pond. They move slowly, usually at night, and can be hard
to see -- but if you're driving near wetlands, expect them. They typically try to cross roads at culverts.
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.
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.
Skunks
Skunks newly awakened from winter hibernation are slow to recognize danger. When threatened, their defense is to turn their
backs and spray. If you see a skunk beside the road, don't slow down abruptly. The skunk may think you've seen him and will
attack. Act as if you're minding your own business and he'll go on about minding his.
In July and August, a 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.
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.
Woodchucks
Woodchucks dart out on the road much like cats, hunched low to the ground to avoid being seen. Drivers who often mistake
them for cats allow enough time for a cat to cross in front of them; but a woodchuck at best moves only half as fast, and
5 million woodchucks a year get hit by cars. That fat brown cat in the road ahead may be a woodchuck.
Frogs
In wet weather, if you're near a pond or ditch and it's not yet fall, you'll likely be seeing frogs. They'll freeze in
your headlights, so don't expect them to move. Slow down and try to drive around them.
Moose
In winter, moose will lick road salt and travel along ploughed 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.
Bears
Bears feast on roadside grass or berries, especially in remote country, so beware of thickets close to the road. When bears
bolt across roads, they do it at a dead run, and babies follow Mama. If you see one bear, look for two more. And look out
for bear-watchers who've stopped their cars in the roadway.
All Species
It's easier and safer to anticipate animals in 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.
What to do if you hit an animal or find a wounded animal: Call the Marin Humane Society: 883-4621, or Wildcare: 456-SAVE.
