An average of approximately 11,000 motor-vehicle collisions occur annually involving animals.

This is according to ICBC statistics, released December 2018, that keep track of animal-related accidents across the province.

According to ICBC, B.C.鈥檚 Southern Interior sees twice the number of motor-vehicle collisions involving wildlife than the rest of the province. An average of 4,800 animal-involved collisions per year take place in the Southern Interior; the figure climbed as high as approximately 5,200 in 2016.

Even North Central B.C., the region with the next most animal-involved crashes per year, fell far short of the Southern Interior, averaging approximately 2,700 per year.

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The Lower Mainland averaged 1,100 animal-involved collisions over the five years and Vancouver Island averaged 2,100.

Of the 11,000 crashes involving animals which take place in the province each year, an average of 650 result in injuries, while average of three people per year have been killed as a result. 2017 was an especially bad year with six people killed in collision with animals.

ICBC says it sees about $41 million in claim costs annually in relation to motor-vehicle collisions involving animals. To avoid wildlife collisions, drivers are advised keeping headlights clean and use high-beams when safe, watch for warning signs indicating where wildlife collisions may occur and reduce speed, drive defensively, considering the landscape you鈥檙e driving through.

jim.elliot@saobserver.net
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