What’s the best way to avoid costly collisions with wildlife?
Encountering any wildlife on the road can be a harrowing and dangerous experience. The last thing anyone wants to deal with is crashing or damaging their car because a deer has walked out in the road. In the following article, we’re going to look at ten ways that you can avoid collisions with wildlife!
10 Tips for Avoiding Collisions with Wildlife
- Slow Down – It may seem obvious but driving a little slower during peak wildlife times will help you avoid collisions with wildlife. If you’re driving slower, you’ll be better prepared to stop or take evasion action in a safe manner.
- Keep Your Eyes Open – If you’re paying attention while you’re driving, you are more likely to spot wildlife on the road a few seconds earlier. So, pay attention to the edge of the road and when you’re driving through heavily forested areas.
- Be Aware of Peak Times – 6-9 pm are peak times for wildlife, especially deer. Unfortunately, it’s also the most challenging time for drivers to see. So, if you’re spending a lot of time on the road during peak times, always be extra vigilant.
- Don’t Tailgate People – If you’re tailgating the vehicle in front, your response time is going to be slower. Also, if they take evasive action to avoid wildlife, you’re more likely to crash into the car in front of them. So, always maintain a safe distance between you and other vehicles.
- Use Your High Beams – Cars have high beams for a reason! Using your high beams of a night will illuminate the road in front of you so you can see more.
- Watch for Multiple Animals – It’s common to see more than one animal at once. For example, deer travel in herds, so if one runs out on the highway, there’s a good chance that another might be close behind it.
- Use the Center Lane – If you’re driving in the center lane, you’ll have a little more room to move if you need to take evasive action. If you’re taking evasive action to avoid a collision with wildlife, always be aware of other vehicles around you.
- Use Your Horn – Honking your horn or flashing your lights is often an excellent way to scare animals off the verge of the road.
- Wear Your Seatbelt – Obviously, if the worst were to occur and you hit an animal, wearing your seatbelt could save your life in an accident.
- Stay In Control – If you do try and take evasive action, always maintain control of the vehicle. Swerving or breaking suddenly can cause you to lose control of the vehicle. You could end up causing even more damage than you would have from just hitting the animal.
Accident Towing in Eagle & Summit Counties
There you go, the easiest and most effective ways that you can avoid those expensive collisions with wildlife. Suppose you have had an accident with wildlife or broken down in the Eagle County or Summit County areas. In that case, Mountain Recovery and their professional towing team are standing by to assist you. Day or night, sunshine or rain, they’ll be there when you need them most!
If you have been involved in any automotive accident or collision with wildlife in Eagle County or Summit County, Colorado, Mountain Recovery is only a phone call away at 970-476-1124. We operate 24/7, 365-days a year, to keep you moving and help get your vehicle back on the road.