AAA Wyoming is urging drivers to change how they travel at dawn and dusk after new research from AAA’s Foundation for Traffic Safety found more than 1.7 million animal-related crashes were reported nationwide between 2020 and 2024, with nearly a third of them occurring in October and November.
Nationwide, nearly two-thirds of the crashes happened in rural areas, and 70 percent of crashes, injuries and fatalities occurred at night, dawn or dusk.
“Although deers and other animals are unpredictable, there are actions you can take to help prevent an accident or reduce damage from an animal collision,” said David Caltabiano, AAA Wyoming spokesperson.
The Bottom Line
- October and November carry nearly a third of the nation’s animal-related crashes.
- Seventy percent of crashes, injuries and fatalities happen at night, dawn or dusk.
- Most crashes occur in rural areas, where AAA Wyoming says vigilance matters most.
AAA Wyoming’s tips for avoiding a collision
AAA Wyoming shared a list of proactive steps: scan the roadway for signs of animals, since some travel in groups; slow down and be extra cautious at dawn and dusk and during prime commuting hours of roughly 5 a.m. to 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.; use high beams when there is no oncoming traffic; honk the horn with one long blast to frighten an animal off the road; and brake rather than swerve if impact is unavoidable, staying in your lane because swerving can confuse an animal and put a driver in the path of oncoming traffic.
What to do after a crash
If a collision happens, AAA Wyoming advises calling law enforcement immediately to help remove the animal, noting the date, time, location, weather and road conditions, and staying away from a wounded animal, which can be unpredictable. Drivers should take photographs when safe to document the incident for insurance purposes, since animal collisions are covered by most insurance policies through comprehensive coverage.
