BOISE – Whether you’re traveling on vacation, returning from a day of outdoor adventures, or simply trying to enjoy cooler temperatures, many Idahoans are driving at night in remote areas.  But AAA warns that as drivers roam into open range, they could be sharing the road with large animals that are doing the same thing.

Idaho Code defines open range as “all unenclosed lands outside cities, villages and herd districts, upon which cattle by custom, license, lease, or permit, are grazed or permitted to roam.”  In other words, many of the places that Idahoans want to visit may lead through open range.

“Cows and horses can weigh several hundred pounds each, and a collision with one can be just as dangerous as hitting another vehicle.  No one wants to deal with an expensive repair bill or costly compensation for a wounded animal,” says AAA Idaho public affairs director Matthew Conde.  “It’s very important to scan the road ahead for cattle and wildlife.  With temperatures this hot, many large animals are resting during the day and are more active in the evening.”

Open range travel tips

  • If you see a large animal, slow down – many travel in groups or herds.
  • Use high beams when there’s no oncoming traffic.
  • If you see an animal in the road, focus on slowing, not swerving.  Swerving could cause a rollover crash, or you could end up in oncoming traffic.
  • If necessary, pull over and use the horn to encourage cattle to move.
  • Always wear your seat belt.
  • When approaching or passing animals on or near the road, use your emergency flashers to alert other drivers.

“When traveling through rural areas, always keep the possibility of large animals in the back of your mind, even near fenced land,” Conde said.  “On a road trip in Wyoming, an oncoming semi had its emergency flashers on, so we heeded the warning and slowed down.  As we rounded the bend, we came face-to-face with a large herd of cows on the road – they had broken down the fence and wandered out of their pasture.  It made for a very unique cattle drive when our family and another driver used our vehicles to herd the animals back through the fence.  The barbed wire was reattached, and we went on our way.”