Andrew Gimpel

I’ve lived in Montgomery Township in North Wales for all my life. Recently, I’m becoming aware of a very peculiar change that is difficult to articulate; Are we seeing more animals up and about? Where in my childhood I would be lucky to even see a rabbit in my backyard, recently there are regular sightings of deer, foxes, possums, and stray cats. Less glamorous are the scenes of unceremonious roadkill littering the highways.

The number vehicle-animal collisions in Pennsylvania is alarming. Stephanie Sigafoos, in an article for the Lehigh Valley News, writes: “State Farm Insurance Co. said 1.8 million auto insurance claims involving animal collisions were filed across the nation between July 1, 2022, and June 30, 2023. Pennsylvanians filed 153,397 of those claims, State Farm said in a release, making it No. 1 in the nation.The data also ranked Pa. third overall for likelihood of colliding with an animal, with drivers having a 1 in 59 chance of getting into an accident involving wildlife. West Virginia, a neighboring state, ranked No 1.”  While the rise can be explained by such things as climate change, invasive species, etc., they are not so important as the immediate effects. Over 1,200 have lost their lives due to vehicle accidents with deer, and Pennsylvania is now ranked number one for animal collisions.

These new changes are especially dangerous for Abington students, so here are a few simple guidelines to avoid animal-vehicle accidents:

1. Obey the speed limit. Going over the limit will increase your chances of suffering any kind of accident, and will damage your credibility with your insurance.
2. Be cautious driving at night, as that is usually the time large herds of deer and other nocturnal animals move.
3. Keep eyes on the road and foot on the brakes for sudden activity.
4. Be careful around forested regions. They are naturally where most animals dwell and can suddenly appear to dash across the road.
5. If an animal is struck, call 911 to report the incident.

Practice common sense and all should be well. One can never be too sure of incoming disaster in this day and age, but it goes to show that despite all of human advancement, we ultimately must respect nature’s ways and be wary of her moods.