Photo: Andre Carrotflower, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
To avoid hitting a moose, deer or caribou in Canada, slow down where wildlife signs are posted. Scan both shoulders, especially at dawn and dusk. Watch for eyes reflecting in your headlights, and expect more animals after the first one crosses. If a collision can’t be avoided, brake firmly and stay in your lane rather than swerving into oncoming traffic or the ditch. This guide combines what the Ontario, BC, Saskatchewan and Northwest Territories handbooks teach, including what to do after a hit.
Key facts
- Ontario recorded 8,964 vehicle and wild animal collisions in 1999 and 12,791 in 2008, a 43 per cent increase in 10 years (MTO handbook).
- Collisions peak at dawn and dusk. Saskatchewan also flags May and June (animals come to ditches for road salt and to escape insects) and late fall and early winter (mating and migration).
- Ontario: report a collision with a deer or moose to the local police or the Ministry of Natural Resources.
- Saskatchewan: call police if anyone is hurt or damage is significant, and the Conservation Officer Service for a dead or injured animal.
When and where wildlife collisions happen
- Dawn and dusk. Animals move to feed at these times, and they are hardest to see.
- Signed areas. Yellow wildlife warning signs mark high-risk stretches. The NWT manual includes a moose crossing sign. Slow down through these zones.
- Farmland and wooded areas. ICBC says to watch for animal crossing signs there.
- Seasonal peaks in Saskatchewan: May and June, and late fall into early winter.
How to spot animals early
- Scan shoulder to shoulder, including the ditches, not just your lane.
- Use high beams whenever there is no traffic to dazzle (SGI).
- Look for eyes: sudden spots of light at the roadside are often your headlights reflecting off an animal’s eyes.
- Expect a group. Wild animals often move in herds. When one crosses, others often follow.
- Slow down when you see one at the side of the road, and pass slowly.
What to do when an animal is in your path
The handbooks agree on the main points, with some differences in emphasis:
- Check your mirror first so you know if you can stop hard (ICBC).
- Slow down, but don’t slam the brakes if it could send you out of control (ICBC, NWT). If the animal appears suddenly, SGI says to brake firmly and stay in control.
- Avoid swerving. SGI warns that swerving can put you into oncoming traffic or roll you into the ditch. The NWT manual frames it as a choice: you may have to decide between hitting the animal and risking a crash with another vehicle.
- Driving around it: Ontario’s handbook says not to try. ICBC and the NWT manual allow it as an option. If you do, leave a wide margin, because a frightened animal can run any way, and only go left if the oncoming lane is clear.
- Sound your horn to scare wildlife off the road (Ontario, SGI). Don’t use the horn around herded livestock or horses. Slow down and wait for the herder or rider to signal (SGI).
If you can’t avoid hitting it
For a large animal, both ICBC and SGI teach the same technique:
- Brake firmly.
- Steer to strike the animal at an angle, a glancing blow rather than head-on. SGI says to aim for where the animal came from, not where it is going.
- Release the brake just before impact. The front of the car rises slightly, which makes it less likely the animal comes through the windshield.
What to do after hitting a moose or deer
- Pull onto the shoulder and turn on your hazard lights. Take a moment, then check for injuries and damage.
- Stay in your vehicle near the animal (Ontario). Don’t approach or try to move it: injured animals can be dangerous.
- Report it:
- Ontario: to the local police or the Ministry of Natural Resources.
- Saskatchewan: police or the local RCMP if anyone is hurt or vehicle damage is significant. Conservation Officer Service for a dead or injured animal. For minor damage, follow SGI’s normal claims process.
- Northwest Territories: report to police right away if total damage to all vehicles, property and animals is over $2,000.
- Other provinces: follow your province’s collision reporting rules, and contact your insurer.
Regional notes
- Newfoundland and Labrador has its own guide: moose on Newfoundland roads.
- Rural and gravel driving in Saskatchewan: Saskatchewan rural and gravel road driving.
- Northern highways: driving the Alaska Highway and Yukon winter roads and NWT ice roads and gravel highways.
- For the full picture of licensing across the country: learning to drive in Canada.
Common questions
Should I swerve to avoid a moose?
Not if it means leaving your lane into traffic or the ditch. SGI says to brake firmly and avoid swerving. Ontario’s handbook says not to try to drive around an animal. ICBC and the NWT manual treat steering around it, with a wide margin and a clear oncoming lane, as an option.
Why let off the brake just before hitting a large animal?
Braking dips the nose of the car. Releasing the brake lets the front rise slightly, so the animal is less likely to come over the hood and through the windshield.
Do I have to report hitting a deer?
In Ontario, the handbook says to report it to police or the Ministry of Natural Resources. In Saskatchewan, call police if there are injuries or significant damage, and conservation officers about the animal. Other provinces apply their general collision reporting rules.
Does honking scare a moose away?
Ontario and SGI both advise sounding your horn when you see an animal on the road. Don’t rely on it: slow down as well.
What time of year is worst for wildlife collisions?
SGI names May and June, when animals come to ditches for road salt and to escape biting insects, and late fall into early winter, during mating season and migration. Dawn and dusk are the highest-risk times of day all year.
Sources
- Government of Ontario, “The Official MTO Driver’s Handbook: Dealing with particular situations” (ontario.ca)
- ICBC, “Learn to Drive Smart, Chapter 8: Emergency strategies” (icbc.com)
- SGI, “Saskatchewan Driver’s Handbook”, Animals on the road (sgi.sk.ca)
- Government of the Northwest Territories, “NWT Driver’s Manual”, Chapter 6 (inf.gov.nt.ca)