Driving instructor wants motorists to know how to handle run-ins with wildlife

THORNTON, Colo. — Thornton Police Sergeant Matt Cabot wants more people to understand how to handle unexpected run-ins with animals on the road. 

Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) said motorists hit and killed more than 100 pronghorns when eastern Colorado experienced an early November snowstorm.

“They are going to need to remember if I’m driving between these months or any time if I’m driving at night those nocturnal animals could be out and I need to use a little bit of extra caution,” said Cabot. 

Colorado State Patrol (CSP) said animal crashes happen most often during hunting and mating season, which runs from October through December.

Cabot is a driving instructor for Top Cops Driving School and is a traffic sergeant for the Thornton Police Department. 

On Friday, he told 9NEWS what drivers should do if an animal unexpectedly jumps in front of their vehicle. 

“If you find yourself in a situation where you know you are going to hit that animal, what you want to do is pick a side to hit it. You don’t want to hit it square because if it comes over the hood it could get into your windshield and really cause a severe injury. If you hit it on the back side or the front side that animal is most likely going to spin off of that collision,” said Cabot.  

He said things change if it’s a smaller animal like a squirrel or rabbit. 

“If smaller animals come in front of your car the best place for them to go is underneath the car,” said Cabot. 

CSP said the right choice is to drive through, keeping in the lane, but with a slight angle towards the butt of the animal, but only if by the white side lane line. 

CSP agreed with Cabot to never swerve or jerk the wheel.

On Friday, Cabot said he sees more people moving to Colorado from out of state and he expects more run-ins with wildlife as Coloradans build homes in their territory. 

“As these suburbs encroach out, especially out into Golden and into Boulder and some of those foothills, you are going to have to start dealing with this wildlife because we are now going into their territory,” said Cabot. 

CSP wants to remind drivers that a collision is a crash, whether with an animate or inanimate object. 

CSP said if you do hit an animal while driving, call 911 if the animal is large and still there after you hit it, and follow the emergency dispatcher’s instructions.