RULES OF THE ROAD

(State of Colorado)

10. Emergencies

10.3. Animals

There may be occasions when an animal suddenly runs in front of your vehicle. Small animals such as rabbits, dogs, or cats seldom cause severe property damage to vehicles, but present a hazard if a motorist takes evasive action that results in losing control of the vehicle.

Big game animals, mostly deer, are large enough to cause damage to a motor vehicle. However, the size of these animals may cause the motorist to take drastic evasive action to prevent a collision. This may result in a more serious crash than if the vehicle collided with the animal. Regretfully, the safest alternative may be hitting the animal. Concentrate on retaining control of the vehicle before, during, and after the collision with the animal.

About 90% of deer–vehicle crashes occur between dusk and dawn, at all times of the year. Big game animals can appear in metropolitan areas as well as mountainous regions. If there are animals near the roadway, slow down and proceed with extreme caution.