Wildlife on B.C. Highways
Traveling B.C. roads, you are likely to see many different animals: from huge moose to small porcupines.
They're beautiful and entertaining to watch. But wildlife and cars on the road together can be a lethal mix. Hitting an animal is not just emotionally upsetting; even a smaller animal can damage a vehicle. A larger animal can cause a serious collision.
How to Report a Dead Animal on the Road
If you are involved in an accident with an animal or see a dead animal in the road, please call the RCMP, local police and/or highway maintenance contractor in the area. We need to remove the carcass from the traffic lanes before it causes an accident.
Reducing Wildlife Collisions
B.C. has the most comprehensive inventory of wildlife warning signs in the world. Watch for the wildlife warning signs, which are posted at areas where experience shows animals are likely to be on the road.
Some additional ways you can avoid hitting wildlife:
- Be extra careful in the early morning or at dusk and during the night. These times are when animals are most likely to be on the road.
- Slow down and look ahead into the ditch for movement or for the reflection of animal eyes in your headlights.
- Some animals, especially deer, may panic when they see your headlights and may freeze in the road. If you see an animal, slow down until you are well past them.
- Moose will often attempt to escape from a car by continuing to run along the road. This may pose a hazard to other drivers. If it is safe to do so, pull over or slow to a very low speed until the animal leaves the road.
- Many animals travel in groups. If you see one on the road, slow down - there may be more following.
- In the summer many young creatures become more mobile, and they are likely to join their parents crossing the road to find new habitat.
