Traffic Tips: Prevent wildlife collisions

Kayla's here for some driving tips. Traffic tips. That's right, so we're officially into summer, which means summer road trip season is kicking into high gear and drivers are being urged to watch out for wildlife. So here's some tips on how to share the road safely with wildlife. Summer means more traffic on the roads, but it's not just an increase in vehicles you can expect to see. Wildlife are also very active during the summer months. There are approximately 10,000 wildlife collisions around BC reported every year. But the Ministry of Transportation Infrastructure, BC Wildlife Collision Prevention Program estimate the number to be much higher because a lot of them are unreported. They estimate about 20,000 collisions occur each year. Wildlife collisions can be dangerous for both humans and animals. We know that over the last 10 years, about four people a year die in wildlife collisions. The animals don't fare as well as humans do. Some, somewhere around 6000, are killed every year in wildlife collisions. It's common to see wildlife on provincial highways. However, wildlife collisions also happen in urban environments. It's a significant problem not only out on highways. But in municipalities as well as municipalities have encroached on the habitat for for wildlife. Deer in particular are much more common sight in in municipalities than they ever were ten, 20-30 years ago. You can encounter wildlife at any time of the day, but be extra vigilant around dawn or just before dusk. These are the times animals are most active and most likely to be on the road. Drivers need to pay attention, especially at certain times of the day, dawn, dusk. Around areas where wildlife might be present, stay off your phones, don't be distracted by other things, and make sure that if you're in an area where you see wildlife signs that you're paying attention. Wildlife can be unpredictable. You never know when a deer may dart out in front of your vehicle when you hit the road. This summer, be on alert for animals. Slow down and pay attention to your surroundings and help keep yourself and wildlife safe. Deer crossing there, not just drivers, cyclists as well. Yeah. And not, yeah, not just out on the highways, but on the sea walls, too. So lots going on out there. If you have a suggestion of a story that we should cover a traffic concern that we should look into, you can always e-mail us at Morning News at globaltv.com.