Winter driving warning: Increased deer activity prompts caution for Peace Region drivers [Video]

FORT ST. JOHN –When drivers in the Peace Region turn the key in the ignition this time of year, it’s increasingly likely they’ll find a deer in their headlights.

According to ICBC, nearly 13,000 claims for crashes involving animals were made last year, with over 3,000 occurring in the North Central B.C.

“The vast majority of wildlife vehicle collisions can be prevented with safe driving,” said Jadzia Porter, Program Coordinator with the Wildlife Collision Prevention Program (WCPP).

The program was formed in 2001 in partnership with the B.C. Conservation Foundation and ICBC to mitigate a growing number of wildlife collisions.

Drivers in Fort St. John and Dawson Creek are being urged to use extra vigilance from November through January, with data showing we are now entering peak months for collisions involving deer.

Peak times for deer activity in Fort St. John are between 7:00-8:00 a.m., and evenings between 5:00-6:00 p.m.

In …