When is wildlife most likely to be near the road?

If you’ve ever rounded a bend at night and suddenly locked eyes with a deer standing in your headlights, you probably already know just how fast your heart can jump from your chest to your throat. One second, the road looks empty. The next, there’s a deer standing where your car is headed. Across Canada, between four and eight crashes involving large animals happen every hour. Not per day. Per hour.

And it’s not just where you drive, but when you drive. Certain hours and months are riskier than others. And certain places and species behave in ways that make collisions more likely. Read on to learn when wildlife is most likely to be near the road and what you can do about it.

Why dawn and dusk are the riskiest times

If you’re going to run into wildlife on the road, it’s most likely to happen around dawn or dusk and during the spring and fall. Most large wildlife are crepuscular, which means they aren’t very active in the middle of the day. They’re more active in low light, which happens in the early morning and early evening.

This is because many species actually feel safer moving when it’s dim, not bright. It’s also when roads are busy with people heading to work or heading home. At dawn and dusk, when the light is low:

• Animals are moving between feeding, watering and resting areas

• Drivers have a harder time seeing clearly and judging distance

• Even with your headlights on, movement just off the side of the road is easy to miss

• Many drivers are tired, distracted or in a hurry

That’s why dawn and dusk are one of the riskiest times for wildlife collisions. You’ve got the most animals moving around because of cooler temperatures and low visibility and a lot of people are still on the road. Some species are even more active at night, but that doesn’t really make things safer. Your vehicle’s headlights only show you a narrow area of what’s ahead, so by the time you see an animal, it’s often already stepping into your path.

How the seasons change the risk of wildlife crossings

You’re most likely to see wild animals near the road in the fall and spring, when many of them are migrating. But the exact timing depends on the species and the region. Here's what you should keep in mind:

Fall is the highest-risk season

October and November are often the worst months for wildlife-vehicle collisions across much of Canada. It’s when deer, elk and moose enter mating season. They move more, they move further and they’re far less cautious than usual. A buck chasing a doe won’t pause at the edge of a highway to look both ways. And if one animal crosses, more often follow.

It’s also when days get shorter, so dusk lines up with rush hour. And many animals are migrating toward winter feeding areas. This means you’ve got more animals moving, at the exact time we’re driving the most.

Spring brings another spike

Spring is when animals start moving again after winter. The following takes place during this season:

• Snowmelt opens new feeding areas.

• Animals emerge from winter ranges or hibernation (including bears)

• Young animals start exploring new territory

• Migratory animals start returning home

Roads often run through valley bottoms, river crossings and cut lines, which are exactly where animals want to move.

Summer and winter bring different risks

Summer brings fewer collisions, but different kinds of risk:

• Cold-blooded animals like turtles and snakes are drawn to warm road surfaces to regulate body temperature

• Amphibians cross roads during rainy nights

• Deer and moose feed along green roadside edges and drink from water-filled ditches

In winter, fewer animals are moving, but:

• Road salt attracts wildlife looking for minerals, like deer, moose and elk

• Packed snow creates easier walking corridors along road edges

• The nights are longer, giving animals more time to move around under the cover of darkness

How different animals behave near roads

Different animals behave differently around roads, which is why recognizing the cues helps you react faster. Here's what you should know:

Why animals gravitate to roads

From an animal’s point of view, roads offer a lot of tempting things:

• Human food waste: Litter and scraps attract scavengers like raccoons, skunks and coyotes

• Water: Ditches and culverts often collect water and runoff to drink, especially after rain or snowmelt

• Food: Roadside plants, spilled grain and nearby crops are easy grazing for many species

• Greener growth: Pavement runoff creates lusher vegetation along the edges than in surrounding areas

• Light: Artificial lighting draws insects, which then draw birds, bats and small animals

• Warmth: Sun-warmed pavement attracts reptiles and amphibians, especially in spring and summer

• Carcasses: Unfortunately, roads also become feeding spots for other animals when one is struck by a vehicle

Plus, many animals prefer to stay close to water sources, like wetlands, bogs, lakes and rivers, which can often be found near roads.

How to drive when wildlife risk is high

You don’t need to change how you drive everywhere. Just be a little more alert at times and in places where wildlife is more likely to be nearby. Here's what you should be doing:

A note for different types of drivers

Some drivers need to be extra cautious during high-risk wildlife periods. Riders face a much higher risk of injury in wildlife collisions than drivers inside cars. When you ride a motorcycle, you have less protection and less margin for error, so you’ll want to:

• Ride more conservatively at dawn, dusk and at night

• Avoid high-risk corridors during peak hours if you can

And if you drive commercially or as part of a fleet, it’s important to remember that heavier vehicles take longer to stop and hit harder. Wildlife collisions can mean injuries, damaged equipment and serious delays, which makes understanding seasonal and regional wildlife patterns especially important for commercial drivers.

What to do if a collision feels unavoidable

Sometimes, despite everything, there’s no safe way around it. If a collision with wildlife is unavoidable, the most important thing is that you do not swerve. It can cause you to lose control or put you into the path of another vehicle. If that happens:

• Brake firmly

• Stay in your lane; don’t swerve

• Hold the wheel with both hands

• Just before impact, release the brake slightly to lift the front of the car

• If possible, aim to graze rather than hit head-on (e.g., clipping the rear)

Why you should release the brake right before impact

When you brake hard, the weight of the car shifts forward and the front end dips. That makes it more likely that a large animal gets lifted onto the hood and pushed toward the windshield. Letting off the brake just before impact allows the front to lift a little, which can help the animal go under the car instead of into it.

What to do afterward

In Ontario alone, there are nearly 12,000 wildlife collisions every year and hundreds of people are injured in those crashes. So once you’re stopped, the first thing to do is check yourself and your passengers for injuries. Call 911 if anyone needs medical help.

If it’s safe, turn on your hazard lights and move your vehicle out of the way of traffic. Take a few photos or a short video of the scene if you can, as they can help later with your insurance claim.

After that, report the collision to your local police if required and let your insurance company know what happened. Below are some of the provincial wildlife accident reporting system contacts for injured or dead animals:

If you come across a dead or injured animal on the road, it’s best to report it rather than approach it, since injured wildlife can be unpredictable and dangerous. Reporting rules vary by province and territory, so if you’re unsure what to do, your local transportation or wildlife authority can guide you.

Contact BrokerLink today

Wildlife collisions are a reality of Canadian driving and they’re often unexpected and costly. That’s why understanding your coverage matters just as much as understanding animal behaviour. At BrokerLink, our licensed advisors can help you understand what your policy covers and adjust your coverage based on how and where you drive.

The right insurance policy should cover the everyday risks of driving, plus the unpredictable risks of wildlife. Whether you’re looking to review your auto insurance policy or adjust your coverage for your ATV, BrokerLink is here to help.

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