Watch for wildlife, OPP warns

Be alert, reduce your speed, especially during peak times and watch for wildlife, the Ontario Provincial Police is warning.

On average, there are 14,000 reported vehicle/wildlife collisions in Ontario per year - that's one every 37 minutes.

Eighty-three per cent of these collisions happen on two-lane roads outside of urban areas. Most occur between 5-7 a.m. and 5-11 p.m., with 87 per cent occurring in good weather.

There are a number of locations in the Sudbury and Espanola areas where motorists are more apt to encounter wildlife on roadways, such as: Highway 69, between Estaire and French River; Highway 537; Highway 17 west of Sudbury to Walford and Highway 144 north.

As such, there is a need for drivers to be extra vigilant during this time of year as collisions involving wild animals are increasing annually, according to OPP.

Motorists should take the following precautions, especially during dusk or dawn, to reduce the risks of a collision:

Watch:
- Scan the road ahead from shoulder to shoulder
- If you see wildlife on the side of the road, slow down and pass carefully as they may suddenly bolt onto the road and there might be a second animal close by
- Do not overdrive your headlights; this will allow you to see an animal and stop in time to avoid hitting it
- Watch for the yellow wildlife warning signs that indicate an area of increased risk and slow down when travelling through these areas
- Use high beams at night where possible and watch for glowing eyes of animals

Steer, brake and stop:
- Drive the speed limit and take extra precautions when driving at night as visibility is greatly reduced. Slowing down will give you that extra second to react
- Never swerve suddenly. This could cause your vehicle to go out of control or head into oncoming traffic
- Drive according to weather and road conditions and keep a safe distance between you and the vehicle in front of you in case they have to brake suddenly
- Brake firmly if an animal is standing on, or crossing the road. Never assume the animal will move out of your way
- Stop as safely as possible if a wild animal is crossing the road. Remember, there might be more animals

Swerving to avoid hitting a wild animal may result in a more serious collision. If hitting a wild animal is unavoidable, remember to stay in control.

Expect a surprise - animals are unpredictable and they will certainly not look both ways before crossing the road, OPP stated.

Posted by Arron Pickard