With insanity and public tantrums being the marks of the current news cycles, we need a breather. During this time of year, driving can be dangerous.  No, not from crazies on the I-4 corridor (that’s all year long) but rather the “impact” on or by wildlife. Whether running for their lives or simply wandering to greener pastures, these creatures can be helpless and dangerous to drivers.

Every year, drivers and passengers are exposed to deer hits, or, deer attacks, as they frolic through the roadways at all hours of the day and night. When driving to and fro, make intelligent choices with driving routes. Select main roads, not back or country roads between dawn and dusk to minimize your “strike” potential. A main road rather than a shortcut may take a bit longer, but not if you hit these poor, defenseless creatures that seriously damage you or your vehicle, not to mention the impact on the creature’s lifespan. If you live on a secondary road, stay alert!

Rescue personnel respond every year to needless and preventable vehicle fatalities from drivers striking wildlife that can’t seem to cross the road. Why did the chicken cross the road? It didn’t – you hit it. When an antelope “stares in the headlights”, it hasn’t stopped because you think it sees you coming.

Slow down when you see or expect wildlife; if you see ONE then always assume there are at least two – because the deer and the antelope rarely play alone. And turkeys travel in, well, whatever they travel in – usually not alone. And, there is always the pack of dogs keenly on the scent of such wildlife also crossing the road, and not looking both ways first.

People joke about someone being “attacked” in a vehicle as these somewhat intelligent animals run out of the tree-line directly in front or into the side of the vehicle. And, based on the quality of the story of the person telling it, it may sound funny. You know, the deer that came out from hiding and runs full speed directly into the passenger door. But that usually is a result of a ‘near penetration,’ a strike that does vehicle damage but the driver (oftentimes not the critter) walks (or drives) away from it. We forget that these collisions have caused driver and/or passenger death from the animal coming through the windshield or side window. Such strikes are dangerous!

The animal does not always get killed, but may be seriously injured. If such a strike occurs, call the local authorities so the animal can humanely be cared for. Don’t leave an injured or dead animal in the middle of the road for another driver to hit or swerve, causing yet another potential fatality!

Make good decisions on driving, especially during heightened wildlife activity so we all get home safely – you and Bambi. Get your holiday meals through traditional means – hunt it or buy it. Don’t rely on the road kill method.