Robert Belley credits metal bars on his truck for saving his life after he and his wife collided with a moose near Lanigan in 2024. Two years later, Belley still struggles with limited hand mobility, preventing him from working in construction and impacting his income. Saskatchewan Government Insurance (SGI) is cautioning the public about the increased risk of wildlife collisions during this time, especially with more moose and deer crossing roads.
SGI reports approximately 8,800 wildlife-related collisions annually in the province, resulting in an average of 400 injuries and two fatalities over five years. Belley emphasizes the severity of these incidents and urges drivers to exercise caution and reduce speed on highways to prevent accidents.
Troy Corbett, SGI’s director of traffic safety community engagement, notes that fall is a peak season for wildlife collisions, particularly involving deer. He advises drivers to be vigilant, slow down, watch for animal signs, and use high beams when necessary to avoid collisions. In unavoidable situations, Corbett recommends maintaining composure, reducing speed, and steering away from the animal.
SGI also suggests steering toward where the animal originated rather than its current path and exercising extra caution during dawn and dusk to mitigate vision impairment from glare. Bonnie Dell, executive director of the Wildlife Rescue Society of Saskatchewan, stresses the importance of promptly contacting their organization if drivers encounter injured wildlife, mainly deer and coyotes.
Bernie Borgmann, owner of Hooker’s Towing and Recovery, highlights the frequency of wildlife-related incidents in his 40 years of towing experience. He describes these collisions as akin to hitting a solid object, emphasizing the need for drivers to be cautious. Borgmann recounts various distressing scenarios from animals breaking windshields to multiple collisions, underscoring the dangers wildlife collisions pose on the road.