Manitoba Public Insurance is warning motorists to be extra cautious around certain areas of the province to avoid a collision with wildlife.
MPI has outlined high-risk areas, which they say contribute the most to the 6,600 deer-vehicle crashes in Manitoba each year. About 400 of those crashes are within Winnipeg’s city limits.
There were 1,766 collisions with deer in 2009 in surrounding communities around Winnipeg, including Selkirk, Birds Hill Park, St. Francois Xavier, St. Adolphe, Headingley and Sanford.
According to MPI data, these are the most high-risk areas to have a collision with a deer:
- Highways within Western Manitoba – including Hwy #1 (Portage la Prairie to Carberry, Brandon, and Virden), Hwy #16 (near Neepawa and Minnedosa) and Hwy 10 north and south of Brandon
- Hwy 3, from Carman to Morden/Winkler area, and onwards to Killarney
- In and just west of Winnipeg (roads leading to Headingley – particularly on Wilkes and Roblin Rd)
- Roads surrounding Birds Hill Park, in particular Hwy 59 and Garven RdEastern Regions – specifically roads leading to cottage country: Beausejour (Hwy 44), Lac du Bonnet (Hwy 11), Steinbach (Hwys 52 and 12) and Lake of the Woods (Hwys 1 and 44).
The two highest months to collide with wildlife while behind the wheel is October and November. MPI suggests to be aware of your surroundings during dusk and dawn hours and to slow down when you see wildlife crossing signs.
The public insurer says 300 people were injured in wildlife collisions last year and three people were killed between 2005 and 2009.
