As the days grow shorter, Oregon deer are beginning their seasonal migration. That makes October and November peak months for collisions between vehicles and wildlife.
Nearly 6,000 vehicles in Oregon crashed into wild animals last year. Oregon experiences a higher rate of animal-vehicle collisions than any other West Coast state, according to one insurance industry report. “Oregon is working to reduce the risk of wildlife-vehicle collisions,” says Michelle Wheat of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. ODFW is mapping migrations to determine where they intersect with busy roads.
Most of those collisions killed the animal and took a chunk out of the car, according to a recent report from the Oregon Legislative Policy and Research Office. The average insurance cost from such collisions: $4,135.
There are certain hot spots on the 79,045 miles of roads that crisscross the state: near Roseburg and Klamath Falls and where Highways 20 and 97 meet in northern Deschutes County. As the state’s population increases and development encroaches on wilderness areas, collisions are becoming more common.
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One bright spot: Over the past decade, the Oregon Department of Transportation has installed three underpasses so animals can safely cross Highway 97 in Central Oregon. Those installations have led to a reduction in collisions of up to 95% in affected areas. DMV will soon offer a specialty wildlife license plate to help pay for improvements.
By far the most common victims in animal crashes: deer. But more exotic species such as eagles, mountain goats, and even bighorn sheep also get hit. (One change: A law allowing Oregonians to salvage roadkill for their dinner tables went into effect in 2019. But ODFW warns, “Intentionally hitting a deer or elk in order to salvage it remains unlawful.”)
Here’s a bestiary of the animals that got hit last year.