Holiday Travel Safety: How to Avoid Deer and Wildlife Collisions

If you’re like me, you’ll likely be traveling this holiday season to spend time with family. In 2024, an estimated 119 million people traveled at least 50 miles in the last few weeks of December, with 2025 numbers expected to be similar. 90% of these were by car or truck. That’s a lot of vehicles on the road! With all those cars brings increased safety hazards, particularly in the form of collisions with wildlife. Here are a few tips to help you avoid colliding with wildlife as you journey to family this holiday season:

• Drive defensively, watching for movement alongside the roadway. Keep an eye out for shining eyes, which indicate an animal up ahead. Make sure to have passengers assist in spotting signs of wildlife.
• Avoid driving at night. During the winter season, the sun sets early, making it difficult to see animals on the roadway. According to the Alberta Motor Association, over a third of collisions occur between 7:00pm to 11:00pm. If you do need to drive in the dark, consider using your high beams to illuminate your path.
• Slow down in areas marked as “high wildlife areas”. Have you seen a sign with a jumping deer on it? Those signs are called Wildlife Warning Signs and signify an area with increased risk of wildlife being present. Make sure to reduce speed and increase vigilance in these areas.
• When you do see an animal near or on the roadway, do not swerve to avoid collision. Swerving increases the risk of losing control of your vehicle, which can lead to a more serious accident. Instead, use your brakes.
• For some animals like deer, if you spot one, expect more to follow. Deer often travel in small groups that may include fawns. It’s best to slow down if you see a deer, even if it’s already safely across the roadway.

So, there you have it! Follow these steps to avoid wildlife collisions and have a wonderful holiday season!

by Amy Keigher, Natural Resources Agent, 2025