How to Prevent Roadkill

Unfortunately, roadkill claims a significant number of both animal and human lives each year. Hitting a moose or an elk can easily total your car and cause very serious injury. Wildlife experts are constantly trying to prevent roadkill by altering animal behavior by reducing food and water resources next to roads and utilizing fencing to deter animal presence on the road.  But the fact of the matter is that humans need to change their behavior as well. Accurate Auto Body shop is here to help you prevent roadkill and avoid an accident.

Prevent Roadkill by Driving Defensively

Nothing is better at defending you from an accident and prevent roadkill than driving defensively. Remember that even if the road is empty, an animal could run across at any time – especially at night in forest and mountain areas. Drive slowly at night and pay special attention when signs for animals are present on the roadway.

If you do encounter an animal in the road, get its attention by honking your horn or flashing your high-beams. Flashing your high-beams will break the hypnotic deer-in-headlights effect your glare produces for animals. If you are living in an especially deer heavy area, it could also be in your interest to get a ‘deer alarm.’ Deer alarms are basically small whistles attached to your front bumper which emit a whistle at a frequency inaudible to humans, but shocking to animals.

Don’t Litter: Even a Banana Peel

Another way to prevent roadkill is to avoid littering food on the highway, even if the waste is biodegradable. Food on the road is guaranteed to attract scavengers and other critters looking for a quick meal. Save it for a trash can and the animals will stay away from the loud noise of the road.

Disposing of Roadkill

Getting roadkill out of the way of vehicles is considered essential to public safety. If you live in a city, chances are that the roadkill will be picked up relatively quickly. But if you live in a rural community, be sure to report it to your local Ministry of Transportation to have it picked up.

Roadkill rates have been rising in recent years and the hunt is on for a way to design roads in a way which coexists with nature. Current road systems often rip directly through animal habitat, which is a practice which scientists are working to correct. Better signage and guarding of roadways is helping both animals and humans alike. Play your part and share the road with the animals; remember, they were here first.

How to use this information

Sometimes, it is impossible to avoid animals in the roadway and an accident occurs.  If you have recently had a collision and are in need of repairs, be sure to give Accurate Auto Body a call at 303-344-2122 or contact us through our website and we’ll be happy to help.

Which animal do you see most on the road where you live?