Alberta sees tens of thousands of wildlife-vehicle collisions every year. Fall is the worst season, deer are moving more, days are shorter, and drivers are on unfamiliar roads. If you hit a deer or another animal, here’s what to do.
It’s rut season right now. From October into November, deer move more and pay less attention to traffic, and the evening commute lands right in the dark hours when they’re most active. If you drive Highway 16, Highway 21 or the rural roads around Sherwood Park, this is the time of year to slow down at dusk.
1. Get safely off the road
Turn on your hazard lights and pull off the road if you can. If your vehicle isn’t drivable, get out and stand well away from the road, animal collisions often happen in low-visibility conditions where a second collision can follow.
Do not approach the animal. An injured deer or moose can be dangerous, and even a stunned one can startle up.
2. Call the police
Alberta requires you to report a wildlife collision to police if:
- Anyone is injured
- Combined damage looks like it’s $5,000 or more (Alberta’s reporting threshold since January 2024)
Call 911 if anyone is hurt. If the animal is still on the road or you need help with the scene, call the police non-emergency line. In Sherwood Park and Strathcona County that’s the Strathcona County RCMP 24 hour complaint line at 780-467-7741. If no one was hurt, a single vehicle wildlife strike may also qualify for Alberta’s online Report My Collision portal. See where to report a collision in Sherwood Park and Edmonton.
Do not attempt to move a dead or injured animal off the road yourself: that’s a job for authorities.
3. Document what you can
Take photos of:
- The vehicle damage
- The location (a signpost or intersection helps)
- The scene, if it’s safe
Your insurer will want the report number from the police call, so keep track of it.
4. Understand your coverage
Wildlife collisions in Alberta typically fall under comprehensive coverage (not collision coverage). That distinction matters because:
- Comprehensive claims usually don’t affect your at-fault rating
- Deductibles may be different than a collision claim
- Not all policies include comprehensive: check yours
If you only carry basic liability, a wildlife collision may not be covered. Check with your insurer.
5. Get the vehicle checked, even if damage looks minor
Even a “small” deer hit can:
- Puncture radiators or cooling system components
- Damage ADAS sensors and cameras behind the grille or bumper
- Compromise hood latches or airbag sensors: check for dashboard warning lights after the collision
- Bend structural members that aren’t obvious from the outside
Get a free written estimate from a local collision shop. The visible damage is usually just the surface, a proper inspection tells you what’s actually going on.
6. Know when it’s peak risk
In Alberta, deer collisions peak in:
- October to November: rutting season, deer are moving more and less cautiously
- May to June: young deer disperse from their mothers
- Dawn and dusk: visibility is worst and deer are most active
Slow down through wooded stretches. If you see one deer, expect more. They often travel in groups.
What the shop will check after a deer collision
Wildlife hits are front-end impacts, so the shop will inspect more than just the bumper and hood:
- Radiator and cooling system: even a small puncture causes overheating within minutes
- Condenser (AC system): sits right behind the grille and cracks easily
- Headlight assemblies: brackets break, lenses crack, and ADAS sensors mounted near headlights lose calibration
- Suspension components: tie rods, control arms, and wheel bearings can shift from the impact
- Hood latch mechanism: if the hood buckled at all, the latch may not engage properly
- Frame and subframe: heavier animals like moose can cause structural damage
Most of this is behind the bumper cover and not visible from the outside. A free written estimate from a collision shop includes removing the bumper cover to inspect what’s behind it.
Towing after a wildlife collision
If your vehicle isn’t drivable, overheating, fluid leaking, or the hood won’t latch, don’t try to drive it. Call your insurer’s roadside assistance or a local tow company to bring it to your chosen collision shop. Driving with a damaged cooling system or unlatched hood risks far more expensive damage.
Do You Have to Report Hitting a Deer in Alberta?
Only in some cases. Alberta’s rules don’t treat a deer differently from any other collision. You have to report it to police if:
- anyone is injured, or
- the combined damage is $5,000 or more
If no one is hurt and the damage is clearly under $5,000, you don’t have to report it to police. Strathcona County says the same thing for collisions in Sherwood Park and the rest of the county. One more rule to know: if you hit a fence, sign, traffic signal or any other public property while swerving, Alberta says you have to report that damage to police right away, even if it’s under $5,000.
What happens if you hit a deer and don’t call the police? If the damage is under $5,000 and nobody was hurt, nothing, because you weren’t required to report it. If the damage is $5,000 or more and you don’t report it, the Government of Alberta says not filing a required collision report could result in demerit points or a fine. The Edmonton Police Service lists that fine as $405 for Edmonton collisions.
The tricky part is that you usually don’t know the damage total at the roadside. A deer hit can look like a cracked bumper cover and still turn into a radiator, condenser, headlight and sensor bill once the bumper comes off. If you’re not sure, report it. It also gives your insurer a report number to work with.
How to report a deer collision:
- Sherwood Park or Strathcona County: in person at the Strathcona County RCMP detachment, 911 Bison Way. The front counter is open Monday to Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM. Bring your driver’s licence, insurance and vehicle registration.
- Online, anywhere in Alberta: the Government of Alberta’s Report My Collision portal accepts single vehicle collisions where you hit an animal, as long as no one was hurt, the damage meets the $5,000 threshold, and you have a valid Alberta driver’s licence and a verified Alberta.ca account. Commercially registered vehicles aren’t accepted yet.
- Inside Edmonton: at an Edmonton Collision Reporting Centre. Our Edmonton and Strathcona collision reporting guide has the locations, hours and what to bring.
This is general information, not legal advice. Rules can change, so check the official sources below if you’re unsure.
What you don’t need to worry about
You can’t be fined for hitting an animal that darted in front of you. You can’t be found “at fault” in the traditional sense, a wildlife collision is what your insurer would call an unavoidable event.
The priority is your safety, then documentation, then repair. If you’re not sure what to do right after a collision, we have a step-by-step guide for that too. Your shop and your insurer handle the rest.