Wildlife Hazards on the Trans-Canada

Wildlife Collisions Are Not Rare

Canada experiences an estimated 45,000 reported large-animal vehicle collisions per year. Ontario alone accounts for approximately 14,000 of those, roughly 10% of all vehicle accidents in the province. One in every 21 collisions on Ontario highways involves a wild animal. Along the Trans-Canada specifically, the risk is concentrated in certain corridors and at certain times — mostly dusk and dawn, mostly in areas where highway corridors cut through prime habitat.

Animal-vehicle collisions account for approximately 60% of all reported collisions on rural highways in Alberta. The cost to Albertans alone is estimated at $300,000 per day in direct and indirect costs. These are not freak accidents — they are a statistical certainty over enough kilometres of driving in wildlife country.

Moose: The Most Dangerous Animal on the Highway

Moose are the highest-risk animal on the Trans-Canada for a simple reason: they can kill you. An adult moose weighs 400-500 kg (900-1,100 lbs) — roughly half the weight of a sedan. Their long legs place the bulk of their body mass at windshield height. When a vehicle hits a moose at highway speed, the bumper strikes the thin legs, and the full body weight crashes through the windshield and roof directly into the passenger compartment.

Where and When

• Highest risk corridor: Highway 17 between Sault Ste. Marie and Thunder Bay, Ontario. This is the moose capital of the Trans-Canada.
• Peak months: June, July, and August. Moose are drawn to roadside ditches for aquatic vegetation and road salt licks.
• Peak hours: Dusk (one hour before to two hours after sunset) and dawn. Moose are crepuscular — most active during low-light transition periods.
• Secondary risk: September and October during the rut (mating season), when bulls are aggressive and unpredictable.

Prevention

• Drive Northern Ontario sections during daylight hours whenever possible
• Use high beams at night when no oncoming traffic — look for eye shine
• Scan ditches and shoulders, not just the road surface
• Reduce speed in posted moose zones and near water (swamps, lakes, rivers near the highway)
• If a moose is on the road, stop and wait — do not swerve
• Where there is one moose, there are often more — especially cows with calves in spring

Deer: Most Common, Less Lethal

White-tailed deer are the most frequently struck large animal across the entire Trans-Canada, from the Maritimes through Ontario to southern Manitoba. They are smaller than moose (typically 60-130 kg), which means they are less likely to penetrate the passenger compartment, but a deer strike at highway speed can still total a vehicle, deploy airbags, and cause serious injury.

Deer are unpredictable. They freeze in headlights, bolt in random directions, and often travel in groups. If one deer crosses the road, expect more. The highest-risk period is November, during the deer rut, when bucks are chasing does across highways with no regard for traffic.

Elk: Alberta and Eastern BC

Elk are a significant hazard on the Trans-Canada through the Rocky Mountain corridor, particularly between Canmore and the BC border. Between Jaffray, BC and the Alberta border, approximately 90 elk are hit on the highway each year. Elk weigh 300-450 kg, putting them between deer and moose in terms of collision severity.

Elk are particularly hazardous in winter when heavy snowfall pushes them out of the mountains and onto highway corridors, where plowed shoulders provide easier travel. The winter peak for elk collisions coincides with periods of deep snow from November through March.

Bighorn Sheep: BC Mountain Highways

Bighorn sheep are a unique hazard on BC mountain highways because they are attracted to the highway itself. They lick road salt from the pavement and shoulders, often standing directly on the road surface, especially in winter. Unlike moose or deer, which cross the road, bighorn sheep may be stationary on the highway around blind mountain curves.

The highest-risk period for bighorn sheep collisions is November through February, with additional peaks in April and June. The Trans-Canada through Kicking Horse Canyon and the stretch near Golden, BC sees the most sheep activity.

Bears: Roadside Foraging

Black bears and grizzly bears are found along the Trans-Canada from Northern Ontario through to BC. Bears are most commonly seen along highway corridors in spring (when they emerge from dens hungry) and in late summer and fall (when they are fattening up before hibernation). They forage for berries, grasses, and roadkill along highway shoulders.

Bear collisions are less common than moose or deer because bears tend to be visible from farther away and usually move off the road when they hear traffic. The greater risk is stopping to photograph bears. Every year, tourists in Banff and Jasper National Parks cause bear jams — stopping on the highway to take photos, creating traffic hazards, and habituating bears to humans, which often leads to the bear being destroyed by wildlife officers.

What to Do After a Wildlife Collision

1. Pull safely off the road if your vehicle is drivable. Turn on hazard lights.
2. Call 911 if anyone is injured. If you have no cell service, use your satellite messenger or flag down another vehicle.
3. Report the collision to police. In Ontario, call *OPP (*677). In other provinces, call the RCMP or local police. A police report is required for insurance claims.
4. Do not approach the animal. An injured moose, deer, or elk can kill you with a kick. Stay in your vehicle until help arrives.
5. Document the scene with photos if safe to do so — vehicle damage, animal location, road conditions.
6. Contact your insurance company as soon as possible. Wildlife collisions are typically covered under comprehensive (not collision) insurance in Canada.
7. Have your vehicle inspected before continuing your trip, even if damage appears minor. Radiator leaks, alignment damage, and airbag issues may not be immediately visible.

Wildlife Fencing and Warning Signs

Take wildlife warning signs seriously. They are placed at documented high-collision locations based on years of collision data. In Alberta and BC, wildlife fencing guides animals to crossing structures. If you see the end of a fenced section, be extra alert — animals may enter the highway at the fence termination points.