Moose and other large animal wildlife vehicle collisions: implications for prevention and emergency care.

Tania P. Pynn is Public Health Nurse, Thunder Bay District Health Unit, Thunder Bay, Ontario. Bruce R. Pynn is Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon, Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Center, Thunder Bay, Ontario. Reprints not available from the authors. J Emerg Nurs 2004;30:542-7. Available online 03 October 2004. 0099-1767/$30.00 Copyright n 2004 by the Emergency Nurses Association. doi: 10.1016/j.jen.2004.07.084 A worldwide issue of importance to health care professionals is the growing incidence of large animal wildlife motor vehicle collisions (MVCs). Large animal wildlife MVCs can be prevented, yet the incidence appears to be increasing. In Northwestern Ontario, collisions between wildlife and vehicles is presently estimated to include one out of every three reported collisions. Globally, as highway networks expand and traffic volume and speed increase, the incidence of wildlife-vehicle collisions also increases. By definition, a wildlife-vehicle collision is a result of a motor vehicle either hitting an animal or hitting another object in an attempt to avoid hitting an animal. Large animal wildlife (ie, bear, moose, elk, deer, kangaroo, and coyote) account for the majority of reported animal collisions and cause the greatest damage to private property and human life. Collisions with smaller wildlife species may be in the millions, but because they cause less damage than collisions with large animals, they rarely appear in statistics. Large animal collision impacts produce a distinct pattern of injury that is different from other motor vehicle collisions; there is a higher prevalence of injuries to the patient’s head, neck, brain, and upper torso area.