Animals and the Road: Stop, Swerve or Keep Going?

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Hitting an animal when you’re driving can be an upsetting — and dangerous — experience. Statistics show that there are more than 260,000 crashes each year in the U.S. involving animals, with roughly 12,000 human injuries and more than 150 deaths. According to data sourced from a State Farm analysis, drivers in the U.S. face a 1 in 128 chance of hitting an animal while driving, with the odds narrowing significantly in high-impact states like West Virginia and Pennsylvania.

If you have only your state’s required minimum coverage insurance, you will be on the hook financially for damage to your car caused by a collision with an animal. 

For coverage for animal-related damage, you may want to consider a full coverage policy. This type of insurance generally includes collision and comprehensive insurance. Collision is what it sounds like — coverage for your car if you’re involved in a crash with another vehicle or property.  Comprehensive covers other physical damage, including hitting an animal. Some circumstances may come into play, however, such as whether the animal was someone’s pet or a wild animal. Your insurance agent can answer any policy questions you might have about how a claim will pay out after you hit an animal. Keep in mind that comprehensive and collision both generally have deductibles that you will have to pay if your claim is covered. 

Collision with an animal

Imagine a deer dashes out onto the road, you slam into it and crack your front bumper. In this case, the damage will likely be covered by your comprehensive coverage. This particular type of car insurance coverage offers financial protection for events a driver cannot control, such as vehicle theft, flood damage, falling objects and animal collisions. Comprehensive coverage is not required by state law, but if you finance or lease your vehicle, your financial lender will likely require you to carry it.

In this scenario, you would likely need to file a claim, pay your deductible and let your insurer handle the remaining costs. Comprehensive coverage is not to be confused with collision coverage. Collision coverage primarily covers damage that results from hitting another vehicle, a stationary object or a building. Because a deer or other large animal falls outside of these categories, it would be covered by comprehensive coverage.

Swerving to avoid an animal

Let’s look at a different scenario: you swerve off the road to avoid hitting a deer and crash into a fence. In this case, it is up to your insurer to determine if you are at fault. An insurer may conclude that because the swerving maneuver was a choice made by the driver, the driver is at fault for the accident. Regardless of how fault is determined, collision coverage would likely help cover the repair costs if the driver hit a stationary object after swerving to avoid an animal. However, an at-fault accident can seriously impact your car insurance rates. According to rates from Quadrant Information Services, on average, at-fault accidents raise premiums by $840 annually.

A similar question of fault may take place if you slam on the brakes to avoid hitting an animal. While it may not be illegal to stop for an animal in the road, doing so abruptly could cause someone else to rear-end you and your insurer may deem you at-fault for an accident.

If your insurer does not deem you at fault for the accident, it is possible to file a claim under your collision coverage. Keep in mind that filing a claim may also make your car insurance more expensive. Before filing, you may want to get a repair estimate from a trusted mechanic. If the cost to fix your vehicle is close to your deductible, it may be cheaper in the long run to pay out of pocket and avoid a premium surcharge.

Collision with a pet

From an insurance standpoint, your pet is your personal property. While you may think that property damage liability coverage would apply in this case, that is not necessarily true. Property damage liability typically only pertains to damage done to someone else’s property — not your own. If you are at fault for damaging your own property, like if you back into your garage while parking or ding your mailbox when backing out of your driveway, you will most likely not be able to file a claim with your insurance.

Unfortunately, if you injure your pet with your vehicle, you will generally be responsible for the veterinary bills. While your policy may mention pets, they are typically only covered if they are injured while in the car during an accident, and your insurer extends this type of coverage.

Just like how your pet is your property, someone else’s pet is their property. As such, you may rely on your property damage liability coverage to help with veterinary bills if you injure another person’s pet while driving. However, exactly how this plays out will depend on your state’s unique negligence laws. If the pet was off-leash, you might be able to dispute financial responsibility by claiming that the collision was not the result of your negligence.

When am I most at risk for animal-vehicle collisions?

Animal-vehicle collisions (AVC) can happen at any time of day in any season. However, there are some times and places where it pays to be extra-vigilant.

According to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), 89 percent of AVC happen on two lane roads — most frequently on straight roads with dry surfaces. The most common times for these accidents are early morning, from 5-9 A.M., and evenings, 4 P.M. to midnight, when animals like deer are more active and likely to be on the roads. Spring and fall see the most AVC. These times coincide with both hunting season and mating periods for many animals, and they are less likely to be paying attention when they bolt across a road.

Based on State Farm’s data, some states see far more AVCs than others. West Virginia leads the pack, with odds of 1 in 40 that drivers will experience an animal-related collision. It’s followed by Montana, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. Perhaps because it is a more populous state, Pennsylvania is in first place in the number of claims filed after an AVC, with more than 150,000 annually. 

How to handle animals on the road

With some AVCs resulting in fatal injuries, there are some things to know in the event you encounter an animal during your travels.

Steps when encountering pets

Deer, moose and elk are not the only four-legged creatures you might spot on the road; pets also account for a growing number of AVCs. If you see a lost pet on the road, find somewhere safe to pull over. Errant pets can easily cause accidents and endanger other cars on the road around you. Speaking softly and gently can help calm a frightened pet.

Regardless of whether or not you are able to safely secure the animal, you should contact the local authorities for help, making sure to note your address or local coordinates of where the animal was last seen. Local authorities can dispatch someone to retrieve the pet until the owner is found.

Under no circumstances should you enter a busy road to try and retrieve a pet. That said, if you are able to safely pull over, there are some items you can keep in your trunk to help you secure a lost or escaped pet:

• Carrier – A spare cat or dog carrier can help you safely and comfortably secure a lost pet you encounter on the road.
• Slip leashes – Slip leashes are a quick and simple means to effectively secure an escaped pet and ensure that the animal isn’t able to slip away and into danger.
• Reflective vest – A reflective vest helps ensure visibility, especially if you have to venture into the roadways during hazardous road conditions, like rain or fog.
• Treats – A few treats can help entice frightened pets and establish trust.
• Blanket – A blanket can warm a trembling, scared pet and protect your car from fur or debris.

Steps when encountering wildlife

If you encounter wildlife on the road, there are a few things you should do to ensure both your safety as well as that of the animal:

1. Slow down. Reduce your speed to allow more time for you and the animal to react.
2. Make the animal aware. Remember the phrase “deer in headlights” and use a flash of your headlights to startle the deer out of shock.
3. Use your horn. A honk of the horn can be an effective way to motivate an animal that needs to move out of the way.
4. Do not swerve. When you break your path, you significantly increase the chances of a collision and could carry the blame if there is an accident. Instead, stay the course and allow the animal a chance to move out of the way.

What to do after a collision with an animal

No matter how much care you exercise on the road, collisions with an animal can still happen. If it happens to you, here are a few steps you should take.

1. Pull over. If possible, find somewhere outside of the path of traffic where you can safely exit your vehicle. Turn on your hazard lights so you can be seen.
2. Check for damages. Confirm the safety of your passengers to ensure no one requires medical attention. Assess the state of your vehicle to determine whether it is safe to drive.
3. Call the police. The police may need to file a report if there are damages to your vehicle so you can file an insurance claim with your provider. They can also assist an injured animal, direct traffic and clean up any debris from the collision.
4. Contact a wildlife resource. Depending on your state, check for local organizations that you can contact for help with an injured animal.
5. Document the incident. Use your camera or phone to take photos of the damage and the scene so you can provide them as evidence to your insurance company.
6. Contact your insurance provider. Contact your car insurance company to find out further details regarding your coverage and learn next steps to file a claim. If you have roadside assistance, it will likely come in handy following an animal collision.

Tips to avoid animal-vehicle collisions

To help you avoid AVCs on the road, these tips can help.

1. Stay aware. It’s especially important to remain alert at dawn, dusk and after sunset when deer are most active and therefore more likely to wander onto the road.
2. Slow down. Speeding can not only greatly increase the likelihood of an accident, but also the severity of one. By slowing down, you give yourself more time to react in case an animal moves into your path.
3. Follow posted signs. Animal crossings are established by authorities to warn travelers of high-traffic areas for wildlife. Pay particular attention to the roads when these signs are present.
4. Drive slowly. Lower speeds can give you precious seconds you need to react, so drive slowly and always remain aware of your surroundings at all times.
5. When you see one, expect more. If you see a single deer crossing a road ahead of you, it can be a good idea to stop for a few moments to wait, if possible. Deer travel in herds, and where one animal goes, there are likely to be others following not far behind. This may be true for other animals, as well, and is especially important to remember during periods when young animals might be traveling with their mothers, such as late spring and early summer.

In the meantime, federal, state and local authorities are working to minimize the number of AVCs that occur on U.S. roads each year. The DOT report details 34 different mitigation techniques, including the following:

• Integrated planning efforts
• Wildlife fencing
• Wildlife crossing structures
• Animal detection systems
• Public information and education

In Canada, for example, Alberta’s Banff National Park has shown incredible progress through the construction of 38 wildlife underpasses and six overpasses, all of which have decreased roadkill by an astounding 80 percent.

Resources

If you see a dead animal on the side of the road, contact your local health or sanitation department for cleanup. The Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 1-888-404-3922.

Contact information varies between every city, town and municipality. Our state resource guide can help you find the right organization to help.

• Resources by state
  

  Alabama	Southeast Region (Region 4)	Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources	Southeastern Outdoors Outdoor Alabama	Alabama Wildlife Center Southeastern Raptor Center
  Alaska	Alaska Region (Region 7)	Alaska Department of Natural Resources	Alaska Wildlife Rescue Southeastern Outdoors	Alaska Raptor Center Juneau Raptor Center
  Arizona	Southwest Region (Region 2)	Arizona Game and Fish	Southwest Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation Southeastern Outdoors	Wild At Heart Raptor Ranch, Flagstaff, AZ Adobe Mountain Wildlife Center
  Arkansas	Southeast Region (Region 4)	Arkansas Game and Fish Commission	Arkansas Wildlife Rehabbers by County Southeastern Outdoors	Raptor Rehab of Central Arkansas Morning Star Wildlife Rehabilitation Center
  California	Pacific Southwest (Region 8)	California Department of Fish and Wildlife	Wildlife Rehabilitation Facilities Southeastern Outdoors	California Raptor Center
  Colorado	Mountain-Prairie Region (Region 6)	In-State FWS Office	Colorado Wildlife Rehabilitation License Holders Southeastern Outdoors	Rocky Mountain Raptor Program Birds of Prey Foundation
  Connecticut	Northeast Region (Region 5)	Department of Energy & Environmental Protection	Connecticut Wildlife Rehabilitators Association Persons Authorized to Handle and Care for Hawks and Owls Southeastern Outdoors Wildlife Rehabilitators	Horizon Wings
  Delaware	Northeast Region (Region 5)	Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control	Council of Wildlife Rehabilitators and Educators Tri-State Bird Rescue Southeastern Outdoors Rehabilitators	Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research
  Florida	Southeast Region (Region 4)	Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission	Florida Wildlife Hospital Southeastern Outdoors	Audubon Center for Birds of Prey The Avian Reconditioning Center C.R.O.W. Peace River Wildlife Center Conservancy of Southwest Florida Mary Keller Seabird Rehabilitation Sanctuary Wildlife Sanctuary of Northwest Florida
  Georgia	Southwest Region (Region 4)	Georgia Department of Natural Resources	Georgia Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Rehabilitator List Southeastern Outdoors	Center for Wildlife Education and the Lamar Q Ball, Jr. Raptor Center
  Hawaii	Pacific Region (Region 1)	Department of Land and Natural Resources	U. S. Wildlife Rehabilitator Contacts Southeastern Outdoors Wildlife Rehabilitators	Hawai’i Wildlife Center
  Idaho	Pacific Region (Region 1)	Idaho Governor’s Office of Species Conservation	Earthfire Institute. Southeastern Outdoors Wildlife Rehabilitators	The Peregrine Fund’s World Center for Birds of Prey Raptor Research Center, Boise State University
  Illinois	Great Lakes-Big Rivers Region (Region 3)	Illinois DNR	Wildlife Illinois Southeastern Outdoors	Raptor Rehabilitation Center Illinois Raptor Center SOAR Illinois
  Indiana	Great Lakes -Big Rivers Region (Region 3)	Indiana Department of Natural Resources	Indiana DNR Permitted Wild Animal Rehabilitators Southeastern Outdoors	Soarin’ Hawk Raptor Rehabilitation Center
  Iowa	Great Lakes-Big Rivers Region (Region 3)	Iowa Department of Natural Resources	Iowa DNR Licensed Wildlife Rehabilitators Southeastern Outdoors	SOAR (Saving Our Avian Resources) Website
  Kansas	Mountain-Prairie Region (Region 6)	Kansas Wildlife, Parks & Tourism	U. S. Wildlife Rehabilitator Contacts Southeastern Outdoors Wildlife Rehabilitators	Eagle Valley Raptor Center
  Kentucky	Southeast Region (Region 4)	Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife Resources	RROKI (Raptor Rehabilitation of Kentucky, Inc.) Southeastern Outdoors	Western Kentucky Raptor Center Liberty Nature Center
  Louisiana	Southeast Region (Region 4)	Department of Wildlife and Fisheries	U. S. Wildlife Rehabilitator Contacts Wildlife Rehabilitators – Dept. of Wildlife & Fisheries Southeastern Outdoors	Louisiana State University
  Maine	Northeast Region (Region 5)	Inland Fisheries & Wildlife	Southeastern Outdoors	Center for Wildlife Avian Haven Wild Bird Rehabilitation Center Acadia Wildlife
  Maryland	Northeast Region (Region 5)	Maryland Department of Natural Resources	Maryland Wildlife Rehabilitators Southeastern Outdoors	Owl Moon Raptor Center
  Massachusetts	Northeast Region (Region 5)	Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game	Massachusetts Wildlife Rehabilitators Southeastern Outdoors	Wingmasters Massachusetts Raptor Center The Massachusetts Birds of Prey Rehab Facility New England Wildlife Center
  Michigan	Great Lakes-Big Rivers Region (Region 3)	Michigan Department of Natural Resource	Michigan Licensed Rehabilitators (DNR) Southeastern Outdoors	Braveheart Raptor Rehabilitation Center Wings of Wonder – Raptor Education, Rehabilitation, & Research
  Minnesota	Great Lakes-Big Rivers Region (Region 3)	Minnesota Department of Natural Resource	Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Minnesota Southeastern Outdoors Wildlife Rehabilitators	The Raptor Center St. Paul, MN / College of Veterinary Medicine / University of Minnesota
  Mississippi	Southeast Region (Region 4)	Mississippi Wildlife, Fisheries, & Parks	Mississippi Wildlife Rehabilitation, Inc. Southeastern Outdoors Wildlife Rehabilitators	Wildlife Care and Rescue Center Mississippi Wildlife Rehabilitation, Inc.
  Missouri	Great Lakes-Big Rivers Region (Region 3)	Missouri Department of Conservation	Missouri Wildlife Rescue Southeastern Outdoors	World Bird Sanctuary Raptor Rehabilitation Project, University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine
  Montana	Mountain-Prairie Region (Region 6)	Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks	Montana Wild Wildlife Center Southeastern Outdoors	Montana Raptor Conservation Center
  Nebraska	Mountain-Prairie Region (Region 6)	Nebraska Department of Natural Resources	Nebraska Wildlife Rehabilitation Southeastern Outdoors	Fontenelle Forest
  Nevada	Pacific Southwest Region (Region 8)	Nevada Department of Wildlife	DIRT Southeastern Outdoors Nevada Licensed Wildlife Rehabilitators	Raptor Adventures
  New Hampshire	Northeast Region (Region 5)	New Hampshire Fish and Game	Southeastern Outdoors	New Hampshire School of Falconry
  New Jersey	Northeast Region (Region 5)	New Jersey Division of Fish & Wildlife	New Jersey Wildlife Rehabilitators Southeastern Outdoors	The Raptor Trust
  New Mexico	Southwest Region (Region 2)	New Mexico Game and Fish	Wildlife Rescue, Inc. of New Mexico Southeastern Outdoors Wildlife Rehabilitators	The Sante Fe Raptor Center
  New York	Northeast Region (Region 5)	New York State Department of Environmental Conservation	New York Wildlife Rehabilitators Southeastern Outdoors	North Country Wild Care Delaware Valley Raptor Center
  North Carolina	Southeast Region (Region 4)	North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission	North Carolina Wildlife Rehabilitators Southeastern Outdoors	Carolina Raptor Center Cape Fear Raptor Center
  North Dakota	Mountain-Prairie Region (Region 6)	North Dakota Game and Fish Department	Dakota Zoo
  Ohio	Great Lakes-Big Rivers Region (Region 3)	ODNR Division of Wildlife	Ohio Wildlife Rehabilitators Southeastern Outdoors	Medina Raptor Center Glen Helen Raptor Center The Ohio Bird Sanctuary Raptor, Inc.
  Oklahoma	Southwest Region (Region 2)	Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation	Oklahoma Wildlife Rehabilitators Southeastern Outdoors	Oklahoma WildCare Bah Kho-Je (People of the Grey Snow)
  Oregon	Pacific Region (Region 1)	Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife	Oregon Wildlife Rehabilitators Southeastern Outdoors	Cascades Raptor Center
  Pennsylvania	Northeast Region (Region 5)	Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources	Pennsylvania Association of Wildlife Rehabilitators Southeastern Outdoors	Hawk Mountain Sanctuary
  Rhode Island	Northeast Region (Region 5)	State of Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management	Rhode Island Wildlife Rehabilitator Directory Southeastern Outdoors	Born To Be Wild Nature Center
  South Carolina	Southeast Region (Region 4)	South Carolina Department of Natural Resources	South Carolina Wildlife Rehabilitators Southeastern Outdoors	Center for Birds of Prey
  South Dakota	Mountain-Prairie Region (Region 6)	South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks		Black Hills Raptor Center
  Tennessee	Southeast Region (Region 4)	Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency	Tennessee Wildlife Rehabilitators Southeastern Outdoors	American Eagle Foundation Mid-South Raptor Center
  Texas	Southwest Region (Region 2)	Texas Parks and Wildlife	Texas Wildlife Rehabilitators Southeastern Outdoors Wildlife Rehabilitators	Last Chance Forever
  Utah	Mountain-Prairie Region (Region 6)	Utah Division of Wildlife Resources	Utah Wildlife Rehabilitators Southeastern Outdoors	Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Northern Utah
  Vermont	Northeast Region (Region 5)	Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department, Agency of Natural Resources	Vermont Wildlife Rehabilitators Southeastern Outdoors Wildlife Rehabilitators	VINS Nature Center
  Virginia	National Headquarters Offices	Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries	Virginia Wildlife Rehabilitators Southeastern Outdoors	Raptor Conservancy of Virginia Blue Ridge Wildlife Center The Wildlife Center of Virginia Website
  Washington	Pacific Region (Region 1)	Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife	Washington Wildlife Rehabilitators Southeastern Outdoors	Sardis Raptor Center
  West Virginia	Northeast Region (Region 5)	West Virginia Division of Natural Resources	West Virginia Wildlife Center Southeastern Outdoors	West Virginia Raptor Rehabilitation Center Three Rivers Avian Center
  Wisconsin	Great Lakes-Big Rivers Region (Region 3)	Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources	Wisconsin Wildlife Rehabilitators Southeastern Outdoors
  Wyoming	Mountain-Prairie Region (Region 6)	Wyoming Game & Fish Department	Cheyenne Wildlife Rehabilitation Center Southeastern Outdoors	Teton Raptor Center