Wildlife Accidents

Waco, Texas and its surrounding areas, such as Woodway, China Spring, Bellmead, Hewitt, Lorena, Lacy Lakeview or Robinson are all known for their warm southern hospitality, their delicious barbeque restaurants and their hot summer nights! Some may remember Waco as being the birthplace of Dr. Pepper or the home of the Waco Mammoth National Monument. Many people know Waco for its highly reputable Baylor University.

Founded in 1849 by the Huaco Indians there is much more to Waco than its sizable amount of fun attractions. Many of the residents living in Waco, TX don’t realize how much more there is to our “little” big city. One interesting fact is that Waco is home to many natural wildlife inhabitants.

With white-tailed deer, raccoons, opossums, armadillos and fox squirrels claiming Waco as their home, the drivers of Waco need to be cautious of these wildlife animals sharing the road with them. On any given day, you will pass a road-side armadillo or a belly-up raccoon. As sad as these images can be, the fact is that wildlife can be dangerous to drivers.

With one vehicle accident occurring every 57 seconds in the state of Texas, you can be sure that some of those crashes occur due to trying to avoid animals “crossing the road.” So, as a driver, what can you do to protect yourself and your vehicle from this potentially scary situation? At Trinity Auto Haus we have a few suggestions to keep you and your loved ones (and those cute little raccoons) safe from harm:

Be a defensive driver. Always be on the lookout for wildlife in front, to the right and the left of your vehicle. Being on the lookout can give you precious seconds to prepare you for a potential animal collision.

Drive slowly. While we never suggest coming to a full stop in oncoming traffic to prevent an armadillo from getting hurt, we do suggest driving slow enough to always be able to get your car out of the way before a potential accident. Most wildlife accidents happen at night, in good weather when driving fast feels like a great option. It’s not.

Pay attention to animal crossing signs. If there is an animal crossing sign in your vision, it’s there for a reason. Be ready for oncoming wildlife and be on the lookout.

Prepare for the possible. If you are driving in a wildlife prone area, such as Texas, know what to do when you see an animal in your way. Depending on the size of the animal and where you are driving, it may be safer to swerve, or it may be safer to brake. Swerving into oncoming traffic is never a good option, however braking at high speeds may also cause driver, passenger and vehicle harm.

Trinity Auto Haus wants you to give yourself, your loved ones and your vehicle peace of mind. The more you know about the community you live in, the better prepared you can be for what life can throw your way! If you have any questions regarding vehicle safety in the Waco, TX area, please do not hesitate to call us at(254) 300-4557 to schedule an appointment!