Just thought that this may be helpful, I read it on CL (Criegslist.com) and I really think that it is a good idea
Road Runners: The Deadly Fall Ritual of Animals Crossing Roads
By Susan Hagood
Their movements are as fleet as any running back in the National Football League. They sprint at blinding speeds, make sharp 90-degree cuts, stop on a dime, reverse field, and innately understand how to avoid large, intimidating opponents.
And like NFL running backs, they often get caught. The price for squirrels, however, is considerably higher than for, say, Ricky Williams. Squirrels usually pay with their lives when met head-on by vehicles on busy streets, particularly during the fall season.
In the autumn months, juvenile squirrels from the year's last litters are just setting out to find and establish their own territories before winter arrives, attempting countless road crossings in the process. But the sight of their many corpses on the nation's roads—literally hundreds of thousands of them in rural, suburban, and urban areas—is testament to the danger of these crossings, especially to squirrels who haven't had a chance to figure out how to manage them.
The large number of dead squirrels on the road, especially relative to other wildlife, reflects not only the abundance of squirrels, but also their particular predator-avoidance strategy. Squirrels escape from predators, even those made of rubber and steel, by moving quickly and changing directions in the blink of an eye. This behavior has evolved over millions of years.
We've all seen it: A squirrel darts out into traffic, senses danger, turns around completely, and then executes another 180-degree turn right into the path of a car. Although this behavior has helped squirrels evade predators, it's disastrous when they are trying to avoid cars.
Squirrels are not the only animals killed more frequently on roads during the fall. The season brings some of the highest roadkill rates of the year. That's because many wild species are on the move.
Bears, in an effort to pack on the pounds before winter dormancy, travel from berry patches to oak stands with abundant acorn crops. Likewise, some snakes head for their underground hibernation spots, which may be quite a distance from where they spend their summers. Deer, elk, and moose have other things in mind than surviving winter—it's breeding season, and males of these species don't think twice about crossing roads in search of females.
Driving conditions change in the fall as well. The end of daylight savings means that a lot more cars are on the road at dusk, when many animals such as deer, raccoon, fox, and skunks are most active. These late-emerging animals, whether nocturnal or crepuscular, begin to forage just as humans begin to return home from work. It can be a deadly combination.
Give Wildlife a Brake Week
The HSUS celebrates Give Wildlife a Brake Week from October 24-31. As part of this annual driver awareness campaign, help us start a new fall tradition: not only keep an eye out for animals yourself, but also write letters to the editor to suggest that driving with wildlife in mind is as important a safety message at this time of year as changing the batteries in smoke detectors. It would save many animal lives (and a few human ones as well) if drivers ratcheted up their road awareness when they dialed back their clocks.
The most effective measure a driver can take to reduce the chances of a collision is to slow down—especially at dawn, dusk, and at night when visibility, and reaction times, are limited. Scientists estimate that traveling at speeds in excess of 45 miles per hour will substantially increase the chances of a collision. While it's probably unwise to travel at less than 45 mph on an interstate, it's possible to do so on two-lane roads, where most collisions occur.
In addition to controlling your speed, try to scan the roadside edges ahead of your car, looking for movement or the reflection of an animal's eyes in your headlights. Also, avoid following the car in front of you too closely, as your reaction time is severely reduced.
React Responsibly
If you accidentally kill an animal, try to move the animal off the road—providing you can do so in complete safety. Otherwise, report the location of the animal's body to the local police department, and officers will arrange for it to be removed. This will prevent scavengers from being attracted to the road, and eliminate a potential traffic hazard.
If you hit but do not kill a small animal, try to coax it onto a blanket or into a box if you can do so safely. Use your hazard lights or emergency road flares to warn oncoming traffic of the injured animal. Never attempt to handle a large animal, like a deer, or one that could give a serious bite, like a raccoon. Call the non-emergency number of the police and stress that the animal poses a traffic hazard.
If you try to rescue a small animal yourself, remember that the animal doesn't know you are trying to help and may bite or scratch in self-defense. Use heavy gloves to protect yourself, and avoid directly handling the animal. An old towel is helpful if you need to move an injured animal. Gently coax or place the animal into a cardboard box and transport him/her to an animal shelter, wildlife rehabilitator, or a veterinarian. Many vets maintain lists of local rehabilitators if they do not themselves treat wildlife.
What to Take with You
You'll be better prepared to help an animal injured in the road if you carry the following items in your car. (Keep in mind, though, that you should never put your own safety at risk, either from traffic or a frightened, injured animal.)
Heavy leather gloves.
A paper bag for injured birds—it will provide plenty of air and will be flexible enough that birds will not injure themselves if they struggle.
A cat carrier or sturdy box for small mammals and turtles.
A towel or blanket to cover the eyes of larger animals to reduce stress, and to help move smaller animals from the road into a box or other carrier.
Dog leash.
Flashlight (with extra batteries).
Broom handle (to guide an animal into a carrier).
A flat-bladed shovel (for gently scooping large and ornery snapping turtles off the road).
A list of local wildlife rehabilitators and veterinarians who take injured wildlife, along with their phone numbers and the non-emergency police number. If you are in an unfamiliar area, you can look up the local animal control agency or a veterinarian in a telephone directory—most veterinary offices maintain lists of rehabilitators or vets who treat wildlife.
Here is the link:
http://www.hsus.org/wildlife/issues_...ing_roads.html