What’s The Best Way To Avoid Hitting Wyoming’s Vast Wildlife?
Let's thing of all of the animals that could walk out if front of us while cruising down the road here in Wyoming.
- Antelope
- Deer
- Elk
- Bison
- Bear
- Moose
- Rabbit
- Prairie Dog
I think you get the idea right?
Imaging just leaving the car lot with your brand new 2022 car or truck and you hit the highway to familiarize yourself with it. The brand new car smell is still strong and there's not even a speck of dust on the dashboard...THEN BAAM, Mr. Antelope runs out in front of you.
Did your anxiety just jump off the charts reading that? Are you knowledgeable on how you can avoid the animal / vehicle collision? If you have a young driver in the family, this is definitely something you'll want to discuss with them.
Hitting an animal is avoidable, check out these tips from the Farmers Almanac.
- Slow Down - obeying the speed limit
- Use Your Eyes - making sure you're not distracted by looking at your phone, paying more attention to others in the vehicle or doing other things like eating.
- Know Your Location - Watching for road signs that are posted in high animal traffic areas and know times when animals may be moving across the road
- Leave Room Between Vehicles - Leaving room will give you more room to brake and help your response time.
- Use Your Bright Lights - the high beams are on your car to help with visibility. You got them, so use them to help see the critters.
- Know How The Animals Travel - Herds. If you see one, there's a really good chance there is another close behind.
- Horns Are Useful - Making noise by blowing the horn and flashing lights will hopefully encourage the animal to get out of the middle of the road
- Have Your Safety Belt Fastened - If the worse case scenario happens and you can't avoid the animal, having your seat belt on will hopefully help you avoid serious injury
- Keep Control Of Vehicle - Swerving can and usually does make things worse. You could hit an oncoming vehicle or other object in the process. Braking can make the front of your vehicle dip and cause the animal to get closer to your windshield.
- If You Hit, Lean Toward The Door - Leaning toward the frame where the vehicle is stronger, may help you on impact.
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