As Summer comes to a close for us Oregonians, I would like to pay heavy attention to safety on the roads. As many know, Oregon is home to an abundance of wildlife, as well as domestic animals.

Recently I witnessed an oblivious driver run over a cat struggling to cross a busy intersection. Rather than immediately stopping and reporting the incident, they sped off without even braking. Oregon Law states that failure to stop during an animal involved accident, is defined as a Class B traffic violation.

If I had the chance to get their information fast enough, they could have been charged.

So I would like to highlight the importance of staying focused on operating a vehicle and always checking your surroundings whether on the road or other areas.

Not many realize what to do in this situation, although it is a law to stop and report to authorities.

I am sure every reader has witnessed a dead animal in the road. With every animal comes the responsibility of the driver. Just on first-hand witness, it seems although nobody knows how to correctly handle the situation pertaining animals in roadways.

Whether it’s a busy intersection or not, where the animal was located, and how badly it was injured; you need to take these precautions so you will be able to proceed directions in the most applicable way.

1. Stop

You immediately need to stop after. You may have a chance of being reported if failure to do so and may even be taken to legal matters. If it’s a busy roadway or you cannot reach the animal, contact your local authorities with further directions.

2. If you cannot block traffic around animal, move it out of the roadway

You alone cannot stop traffic, but it authorities agree that traffic doesn’t need to be stopped, you may need to transport the animal to the side of the road or the sidewalk.

3. Call 911 or Animal Control

If you live near Multnomah County, Multnomah County Animal Services apply officers to be on scene as soon as possible for additional help. 24 hours a day.

4. Drive cautiously and be self-aware

A message for all drivers to get off their phones, stop messing with friends, or just taking your eyes of the road: it is not worth killing an innocent animal.

I wish that I personally could have known these steps, because I was not fully aware of what to do in this particular situation. As heartbreaking as it was to witness an animal’s death, I am now prepared for this scenario.

Please if you have animals of your own, keep them close and veer away from busy streets or intersections.