# how much roadkill is really accidental? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 28, 2015, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-roadkill-is-really-accidental/738783 "2015-11-28T00:19:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![GreenElf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@GreenElf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenElf)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2015, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-roadkill-is-really-accidental/738783/1 "2015-11-28T00:19:31Z")
I’ve been seeing a lot of dead cats and squirrels on the road lately, and I have to wonder what percentage are really accidental and what percentage is intentional on the part of the motorists? :dubious: I’ve been driving for decades and have never hit an animal. Usually when a cat, squirrel, quail or other animal gets in the way, I slow down and they scurry off in the same direction they came from. I had a somewhat close call with a deer on the highway once, but even that wasn’t really close as I braked in time to avoid any skidding or terrible fright in the deer. I’m sure it’s possible to have a genuine car-animal accident, but the amount of roadkill I see indicates perhaps otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![excavating\_for\_a\_mind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e8c25b/32.png) [@excavating\_for\_a\_mind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/excavating_for_a_mind)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2015, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-roadkill-is-really-accidental/738783/2 "2015-11-28T00:51:53Z")
While I have seen some intentional roadkill (armadillos and turtles), it is kind of difficult to intentionally hit a squirrel, cat, dog, or even a deer. Deer are a special case, as they will sometimes just stand there in the belief if they don’t move, you won’t see them. But, if you swerve towards them, they pretty much figure out they have been “made” and bolt. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2015, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-roadkill-is-really-accidental/738783/3 "2015-11-28T00:56:36Z")
You are, I think, greatly overestimating the ease of deliberately hitting a smallish animal that is actively trying to get out of your path. Other than deer, which often give in to their suicidal impulses, every animal I’ve ever seen killed by a car was killed because the animal misjudged at the last moment. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2015, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-roadkill-is-really-accidental/738783/4 "2015-11-28T00:59:22Z")
In [this](http://news.discovery.com/autos/drive/study-finds-6-percent-of-drivers-go-out-of-their-way-to-run-over-animals.htm) experiment 6% of drivers swerved to deliberately run over the (fake) animal. I recall years ago reading about one such experiment where one driver not only swerved to drive over a (rubber) snake, but got out of his truck with a gun to make sure of it. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2015, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-roadkill-is-really-accidental/738783/5 "2015-11-28T01:22:43Z")
You’re overlooking the most likely explanation. The animals are deliberately committing suicide. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2015, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-roadkill-is-really-accidental/738783/6 "2015-11-28T03:28:41Z")
I have had one dog hit and killed, that was not the driver’s fault either. But a friend of mine once had a cat that got run over on purpose. A neighbor witnessed a pickup speed up when it saw the older animal crossing the street slowly. ---
**Author:** ![pool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pool/32/4152_2.png) [@pool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pool)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2015, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-roadkill-is-really-accidental/738783/7 "2015-11-28T03:34:53Z")
Well I for one even if I had the desire to run over an animal wouldn’t want to take the risk of damaging my car if it was over a certain size and having them stuck in the grille of the car. My friend once hit a bird that was flying into the front of his car and it was surprising how much cosmetic damage it actually caused, completely broke through the plastic, making a large hole and went into the engine compartment. With larger animals it’s probably people in SUV’s and trucks that will intentionally run them over. I think it’s probably close to or below the 6% someone else cited. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2015, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-roadkill-is-really-accidental/738783/8 "2015-11-28T03:36:23Z")
I hit a raccoon once. The only way I could have avoided it would have been by swerving into oncoming traffic. I thought it was a pet cat, and was really relieved when I pulled over and discovered it was just a raccoon, and I didn’t have to knock on doors to apologize to a pet-owner. I’ve avoided hitting lots of animals, too, usually by slowing down. But when they jump in front of you, there’s just not that much you can do. ---
**Author:** ![pool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pool/32/4152_2.png) [@pool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pool)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2015, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-roadkill-is-really-accidental/738783/9 "2015-11-28T03:49:35Z")
Some guy ran over my pet raccoon once and didn’t even have the dignity to knock on my door and tell me, oh my poor Lucky I miss you so much! ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2015, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-roadkill-is-really-accidental/738783/10 "2015-11-28T05:20:23Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > In [this](http://news.discovery.com/autos/drive/study-finds-6-percent-of-drivers-go-out-of-their-way-to-run-over-animals.htm) experiment 6% of drivers swerved to deliberately run over the (fake) animal. I recall years ago reading about one such experiment where one driver not only swerved to drive over a (rubber) snake, but got out of his truck with a gun to make sure of it. It also illustrates the bubba factor – drivers of pickup trucks deliberately running over small animals far more frequently than drivers of cars. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2015, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-roadkill-is-really-accidental/738783/11 "2015-11-28T05:32:22Z")
> [@pool](#): > > Some guy ran over my pet raccoon once and didn’t even have the dignity to knock on my door and tell me, oh my poor Lucky I miss you so much! I lost my pet walrus the same way. His name was Swifty. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2015, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-roadkill-is-really-accidental/738783/12 "2015-11-28T05:38:11Z")
I have definitely seen people deliberately run over animals. I’ve seen drivers go out of their way to kill blacksnakes sunning themselves. But the worst time… [spoilered for animal cruelty] I saw a gold TransAm change lanes and accelerate to run over a Golden Retriever puppy. The driver game on up the hill past me. The only reason I failed to get his license number was I was in the ditch, looking for a rock or chunk of concrete to hurl through his windshield. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2015, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-roadkill-is-really-accidental/738783/13 "2015-11-28T06:18:01Z")
While there are deliberate acts, I do believe it is mostly unintentional. Which is not to say that it’s not often the drivers’ fault. Lots of people are just extremely tunnel-visioned on the road, even when they’re not actively distracted, as is also common. They don’t see the animal beside the road as they approach; they’re only looking a short ways ahead, in their lane, if that. So it seems to “jump” in front of them. ---
**Author:** ![DorkVader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/73ab20/32.png) [@DorkVader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DorkVader)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2015, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-roadkill-is-really-accidental/738783/14 "2015-11-28T06:31:20Z")
having had a pet killed in this way, in front of me, all I can say is there is a _special_ place in hell reserved just for [del]people[/del] [del]scum[/del] [del]prebiotic slime[/del] entities who do this this. As for the OP, yeah, I’ve been noticing a lot of (in order of appearance) skunks, cats, and now we seem to be into raccoon season around here. With the raccoons and skunks I think its just accidental, critters moving in some sort of maybe quasi-migratory pattern, late at night or early in the morning. With the cats, yeah some small portion is, imho, deliberate. I can’t come up with a good reason why there would be a seasonal peak for the cats though. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2015, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-roadkill-is-really-accidental/738783/15 "2015-11-28T12:20:52Z")
In Thailand many drivers make no attempt to slow down for dogs. (They make no attempt to slow for pedestrians either.) Our house is set back so that our dogs have a large roaming area without approaching the road. Otherwise it would be too painful to keep dogs. Those complaining about drivers should feel thankful they don’t live here. As shown [at this Wikipedia page](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_traffic-related_death_rate) Thailand has twice the traffic fatalities per capita of India. If you sort the table by total fatalities (NOT per capita), the top eight countries, not surprisingly, look like a list of the world’s countries with highest population. And there’s Thailand in the #9 slot. I tend to stop for pedestrians trying to cross a busy street. This causes confusion – perhaps they worry I plan to wait until they’re good targets and then run them over. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2015, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-roadkill-is-really-accidental/738783/16 "2015-11-28T13:13:55Z")
> [@GreenElf](#): > > I’ve been seeing a lot of dead cats and squirrels on the road lately, and I have to wonder what percentage are really accidental and what percentage is intentional on the part of the motorists? :dubious: > > … > > I’m sure it’s possible to have a genuine car-animal accident, but the amount of roadkill I see indicates perhaps otherwise. Why would you think _any_ were intentional? Just because you personally haven’t hit an animal before? Aside from the “informal study” linked above where a small percentage of people did apparently go out of their way to run over rubber _tarantulas_ and _snakes_ (which being fake, would also be immobile and easy to hit, as well as being generally loathed creatures), I doubt very many people actively try to hit anything, much less animals. And even if they were trying, it would be pretty difficult, as has been pointed out. Animals are really stupid about running into roads and there have been quite a few times I’ve swerved to avoid hitting dogs, rabbits, etc. It could have very easily happened anyway if I had either not been totally alert at the moment, or just had bad luck in predicting its movement. I recall one time in particular that a pack of several dogs darted out into the road, at night, right in front of my car. Then a few hundred feet down the road a second group of them ran out in front of me again, and I was lucky to narrowly avoid hitting any. But the guy in the lane next to me was not so lucky, and sent two dog bodies flying (one from each stupid group). He pulled up next to me at the next stop light, and I look over to see a look of **sheer horror** on his face (obviously he wasn’t trying to hit them). Felt really bad for the guy, although if he had swerved much he may well have hit my car instead, so I was thankful that didn’t happen. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2015, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-roadkill-is-really-accidental/738783/17 "2015-11-28T14:27:10Z")
> [@guestchaz](#): > > …I can’t come up with a good reason why there would be a seasonal peak for the cats though. I read somewhere that there’s an increase in road kill shortly after when daylight savings time starts and ends. Presumably, the animals get used to when traffic will be bad, and mostly cross the street at other times. > [@Rigamarole](#): > > Why would you think _any_ were intentional? Just because you personally haven’t hit an animal before? > > Aside from the “informal study” linked above where a small percentage of people did apparently go out of their way to run over rubber _tarantulas_ and _snakes_ (which being fake, would also be immobile and easy to hit, as well as being generally loathed creatures), I doubt very many people actively try to hit anything, much less animals… I saw a study using rubber snakes and turtles. People tried to kill the snakes, but stopped to help the turtles out of the road. Yeah, I’m pretty sure most road kill is accidental. Even if you don’t care about the animals, you probably don’t want to damage your car, and even hitting a raccoon does non-trivial damage. Deer usually total the car. ---
**Author:** ![DorkVader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/73ab20/32.png) [@DorkVader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DorkVader)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2015, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-roadkill-is-really-accidental/738783/18 "2015-11-28T15:53:40Z")
**puzzlegal** , I confess, I hadn’t thought of that. It just seems sort of late in the season for that. Then again, this time of year messes with my sense of daily timing anyway so there’s that. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2015, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-roadkill-is-really-accidental/738783/19 "2015-11-28T15:56:47Z")
Someone allows their black cat to roam around my neighborhood, which has dim yellow street lights. Since it now gets dark at 4 pm, it is absolutely no one’s fault if that fucker gets run over. A few days ago it was ambling across my drive. Even when I pulled in and shone my lights on it, it didn’t hurry. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2015, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-roadkill-is-really-accidental/738783/20 "2015-11-28T15:57:52Z")
I always figure that if they’re still in the roadway it was an accident. However, if they’re up in somebody’s yard it may not be that way. 🙂 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-roadkill-is-really-accidental/738783.md?page=2)