09/18/2026
Top safety tips to avoid hitting deer on rural highways.
An estimated 36,000 or more deer-vehicle collisions happen in Canada each year, accounting for roughly 80% of the country's total 45,000 annual wildlife-vehicle collisions.
⦁ Peak Times: Deer-vehicle collisions spike heavily during dawn and dusk, as well as during seasonal migration and mating periods in the fall (October to November) and spring. [1, 2]
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⦁ Every year, 370 people are injured and 1 is killed in wildlife collisions in the southern interior. Wildlife collisions peak durin...
⦁ Wildlife Roadsharing Resource Centre
⦁ Media Backgrounder - Wildlife Roadsharing Resource Centre
⦁ Wildlife-Vehicle Collisions Fatalities and Injuries * There were 296 people killed due to vehicle collisions with animals in Canad...
⦁ Here are the top safety and defensive driving tips to protect yourself and your vehicle:
⦁ 1. Master Your Scanning Technique
⦁ Watch the shoulders: Do not just look at the pavement ahead. Continuously scan the ditches and sides of the road where deer wait to cross.
⦁ Look for eye shine: At night, a deer's eyes will reflect your headlights long before you can see its body. Watch for tiny twin glowing dots.
⦁ Remember the "pack mentality": Deer rarely travel alone. If you see one deer cross safely, slow down immediately. There is a very high chance a second or third deer is about to jump out right behind it.
⦁ What to Do If a Collision Is Imminent
⦁ Don't swerve: If a deer jumps directly in front of you, brake hard and stay in your lane. Swerving at high speeds frequently causes far worse accidents, such as rolling your vehicle into the ditch, hitting a tree, or colliding head-on with oncoming traffic.
⦁ Blow your horn: Give one long, sustained blast of your horn to scare the animal away. Avoid rapidly flashing your high beams, which can freeze the deer in place.
