JACKSON, Wyo. — The daylight saving time clock change can bring hazards for wildlife as they continue to migrate to winter ranges. Drivers should always brake for crossing animals, but now is an especially confusing time for wildlife on the move.
The Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) is encouraging drivers to remain extra vigilant on roadways. With the recent changing of the clocks over the weekend, commuters are now heading to and from work an hour “later.” Animals are not expecting the change in traffic, and it will also be darker earlier in the evening. A 2022 study about deer-vehicle collisions showed that accidents increased by 16% in the week following the autumn clock change.
Jackson Hole Wildlife Foundation (JHWF) Executive Director Renee Seidler previously told Buckrail that this season is ripe for wildlife-vehicle collisions. “Animals are moving for migration,” Seidler said, “they’re distracted because they’re breeding, it’s hunting season — of course that doesn’t apply too much on private land … but it is still an important factor to consider.”
According to data compiled by JHWF, WGFD, and EcoConnect Consulting, Teton County saw a 10-year average of 239 wildlife-vehicle collisions between 2014 and 2024. The report also stated that this kind of collision is typically underreported, and the actual number could be two to four times higher.
In a Tuesday press release, WGFD said that a recent report by State Farm insurance placed Wyoming in the top 15 states with the highest incidences of wildlife-vehicle collisions. Each year, more than 7,600 wildlife collisions are documented on Wyoming roads.
“Deer are actively foraging to build up final fat reserves before heading into winter, as well as moving to different seasonal habitats as fall transitions to winter season,” WGFD Big Game Migration Coordinator Jill Randall said in a press release. “Both conditions can result in increases in collisions between motorists and deer.”
To avoid wildlife collisions, drivers should travel with caution, especially at night, dawn, and dusk when collisions are most likely to occur. To avoid dangerous and costly collisions with migrating wildlife, follow these tips:
- Drive the posted speed limit, especially at night, dawn, and dusk when animals are most active and hardest to see.
- Know that animals are likely to be found where rivers and creeks cross under roads or flow nearby.
- Scan the edges of the road for wildlife, in addition to the road surface, and use high beams at night when there is no oncoming traffic.
- When an animal crosses the road, look for and expect other animals to follow.
- If an impact is inevitable, do not swerve. Try to release your brakes just at the moment of impact — this will allow the front of the car to rise, potentially preventing the animal from coming over the hood of the car.
- Watch for other motorists’ behavior. Braking and flashing lights may indicate animals on the roadway.
- If you do have a collision with an animal, pull completely off the highway on the shoulder. Call 911 if there are any injuries to vehicle passengers, if the vehicle is unsafe to drive, or if the animal needs to be euthanized. If damage was minimal, still report the collision to the Jackson Hole Wildlife Foundation’s wildlife-vehicle collision database at (307) 739-0968.
View JHWF’s wildlife-vehicle collision hotspot maps for moose, elk and deer here.
