MPI reminding drivers to be aware of wildlife on highways

Manitoba Public Insurance says most collisions involving wildlife happen during October and November.

Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI) is reminding drivers across the province to pay close attention to wildlife when they’re on the highway in the next couple of months.

The Crown corporation says October and November are typically the months where they see the most collision claims involving vehicles and wildlife.

“That’s because animals are also getting ready for winter at this time of year,” said Tara Seel, media and public relations lead with MPI.

Seel said so far in 2025, MPI has received over 7,000 claims related to wildlife collisions. The corporation processed over 14,000 in 2024. There has been one fatality this year from a vehicle/wildlife collision.

Seel said the most common wildlife collisions in Manitoba involve deer, followed by bears. There have been 4,563 collisions involving deer and 123 involving bears.

“They’re getting as much food as they can,” she said. “Leaves are coming off trees. Berries are disappearing, so they have to forage a little bit further for food. So you know they’re travelling more, and if they travel more, their chances of crossing a roadway or encountering a vehicle increase.”

Seel said drivers should slow down, keep eyes out for wildlife signs and ensure their headlights are in good condition. Dawn and dusk are the primary times when drivers need to be alert, due to the low levels of light.

Seel adds drivers should come to a complete stop, and avoid swerving to avoid hitting the animal

“If you swerve, you could go into oncoming traffic and cause more severe injury, or you could end up in the ditch,” she said. “So, you don’t want to swerve. You want to be able to brake as hard as you can. The likelihood is that you will impact that wildlife, but the chances of more severe injury do occur when you swerve.”