


March 20, 2013
Invasive Species: OK Woman Hits Feral Hogs on Highway, Flips Truck
By Chad Love

Environmental and agricultural destruction aren't the only problems that feral hogs cause—they're becoming traffic hazards in many areas .
From this story on newsok.com:
The Oklahoma Highway Patrol says a south Oklahoma woman is in critical condition after the truck she was riding in crashed into a pack of wild hogs that had congregated on the highway. The highway patrol says the crash happened Monday night on U.S. 817 in Jefferson County near the Texas border. A preliminary report says 63-year-old Carolyn Martin of Ryan was a passenger in a pickup truck that hit three feral hogs in the roadway. Authorities say the truck's driver overcorrected and crashed into a guardrail, causing the pickup to flip over.
Have you ever either hit or had a close call with feral hogs on the road? In areas where hogs are well-established, do they pose as great a collision danger as deer?
Comments (11)
I say "yes" they pose a significant danger. While I have not hit any yet, I have seen them near I-40 in Little Rock, Arkansas. On my way home a couple of weeks ago there were 3 large wild hogs standing in the median (which means they had already crossed 2 lanes of traffic) where the speed limit is 70 miler per hour. Had anyone hit one or all of those pigs at that speed it would have been trouble.
Sorry...in my post above it should have read "70 miles per hour".
Are you sure one of those isn't my buddies wife?..sure looks like her.
I've often heard that hogs are one of the few animals that you should actually brake for if in danger of hitting one. Reason being that they go under your vehicle and because of their body shape can lift your car causing it to roll whereas most animals bounce off or go under without incident. (Horses, cattle, moose, elk and elephant excluded.) Guess this lends credence to that belief.
Gee, nobody ever has problems with feral pigs on the highway. That's until someone issues them radar guns. Then they become a really big problem.
Most folks I've talked to down here in the Hill Country don't sweat the hogs as much as the deer. I haven't hit one yet, despite some close calls, but everyone I know who has tells me that they just roll underneath. Of course almost everyone I know drives a truck or large SUV... I wouldn't want a 200lb boar rolling under a Civic or Camaro... much less on a motorcycle.
As with most vehicle-wildlife accidents, the bigger problem is usually caused by efforts to avoid the animal rather than the actual impact.
I haven't heard of many people hitting feral hogs. But deer? O yeah, plenty of times. God gave us brakes, so why not use them?
I haven't heard of many people hitting feral hogs. But deer? O yeah, plenty of times. God gave us brakes, so why not use them?
I live in a county adjacent to Jefferson county. I give you any number of folks who have hit hogs! Me included!
If you're not driving at least a 3/4 ton pick up, you're asking to get hurt. My wife and I both drive 1 ton dually's. I watched a herd of ferals cross the road in the dark. As I approached there crossing spot, a piglet (squashed flat!) crossed with a sow of 125/140 pounds right behind! I never felt the piglet, but the sow rolled under the vehicle and I felt the rear of the 1 ton Dodge dually was raised off the ground!
I've seen "several" vehicles with the front end torn up because of thosr beasts!
Saw the headline and thought, hope it wasnt Mrs.Bubba.. hope the lady is ok. I learned never to swerve for an animal. I have stood on the breaks,however. Have hit six deer,eaten two of those, not any pigs yet.
Hey GERG! Thanks for your concern. No, weren't us'n's! Well, not this time anyway!
Throughout southern Ok, driving at night is hazardous between deer, hogs and cattle!
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I say "yes" they pose a significant danger. While I have not hit any yet, I have seen them near I-40 in Little Rock, Arkansas. On my way home a couple of weeks ago there were 3 large wild hogs standing in the median (which means they had already crossed 2 lanes of traffic) where the speed limit is 70 miler per hour. Had anyone hit one or all of those pigs at that speed it would have been trouble.
I've often heard that hogs are one of the few animals that you should actually brake for if in danger of hitting one. Reason being that they go under your vehicle and because of their body shape can lift your car causing it to roll whereas most animals bounce off or go under without incident. (Horses, cattle, moose, elk and elephant excluded.) Guess this lends credence to that belief.
Most folks I've talked to down here in the Hill Country don't sweat the hogs as much as the deer. I haven't hit one yet, despite some close calls, but everyone I know who has tells me that they just roll underneath. Of course almost everyone I know drives a truck or large SUV... I wouldn't want a 200lb boar rolling under a Civic or Camaro... much less on a motorcycle.
As with most vehicle-wildlife accidents, the bigger problem is usually caused by efforts to avoid the animal rather than the actual impact.
Sorry...in my post above it should have read "70 miles per hour".
Gee, nobody ever has problems with feral pigs on the highway. That's until someone issues them radar guns. Then they become a really big problem.
I haven't heard of many people hitting feral hogs. But deer? O yeah, plenty of times. God gave us brakes, so why not use them?
I live in a county adjacent to Jefferson county. I give you any number of folks who have hit hogs! Me included!
If you're not driving at least a 3/4 ton pick up, you're asking to get hurt. My wife and I both drive 1 ton dually's. I watched a herd of ferals cross the road in the dark. As I approached there crossing spot, a piglet (squashed flat!) crossed with a sow of 125/140 pounds right behind! I never felt the piglet, but the sow rolled under the vehicle and I felt the rear of the 1 ton Dodge dually was raised off the ground!
I've seen "several" vehicles with the front end torn up because of thosr beasts!
Saw the headline and thought, hope it wasnt Mrs.Bubba.. hope the lady is ok. I learned never to swerve for an animal. I have stood on the breaks,however. Have hit six deer,eaten two of those, not any pigs yet.
Hey GERG! Thanks for your concern. No, weren't us'n's! Well, not this time anyway!
Throughout southern Ok, driving at night is hazardous between deer, hogs and cattle!
Are you sure one of those isn't my buddies wife?..sure looks like her.
I haven't heard of many people hitting feral hogs. But deer? O yeah, plenty of times. God gave us brakes, so why not use them?
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