With Fall’s Arrival, Wyoming Vehicle vs. Animal Crashes Increase
As fall arrives in Wyoming, local agencies say the state is seeing an increase in car vs. vehicle crashes.
Just over the span of an hour Tuesday morning, Sublette County saw four crashes between animals and cars.
Fall means it's the time of year when animals are migrating and coupled with shorter days, it's harder to see them. Authorities advise slowing down and giving the animals a "brake."
In addition to animals crossing roadways as they migrate from their summer grounds, animals are often drawn to highways as thanks to better forage resulting from road runoff moisture.
Motorists are urged to be on the lookout at all times for animals on the move, but it's dusk and dawn when they are the most active.
Game and Fish offers the following tips to avoid a collision with wildlife:
- Slow down
- Expect wildlife and scan the sides of the roads.
- Use headlights and stay alert while driving at dusk, dawn and at night.
- If you see one elk, deer or antelope by or crossing the road, expect more to be by.
- If an animal is on the road, expect the unexpected.
- If you encounter an animal crossing the road, switch your headlights to low beam so they are not blinded.
- Give the animal time and room to move off the road. Don't try to outrun it.
- If you see a wildlife crossing sign, pay attention.
- Do not swerve to miss an animal. Swerve toward its hindquarters.
Game and fish also advises that if you see an injured animal, call the nearest Game and Fish office with specific information about its location including the road and mile marker.