A terrible accident in Stephens County, Oklahoma has captured national attention. Roger Gregory Cummings, 63, died after his vehicle collided with a group of about ten wild hogs. The crash, which occurred between Wednesday night and Thursday morning, sent his car off the roadway and into a field where it rolled multiple times. Cummings was ejected from the vehicle, which then landed on him. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol found him dead at the scene, and the investigation is ongoing.
While this tragedy happened far from the Gulf Coast, the story hits close to home. Florida has one of the largest populations of wild hogs in the country. They are found in every county in the state, including right here in the Sarasota and Manatee region. They can be active at any time, but especially at dawn, dusk, and night. A wild hog encounter on a road can be extremely dangerous because they travel in groups and are much heavier than they look, weighing well over 100 pounds.
So, what can you do? Slowing down on rural roads, especially after dark, gives you more time to react. If you see an animal in the road, do not swerve dramatically. It is often safer to brake firmly and stay in your lane. Swerving can lead to a rollover, which was the case in this deadly accident. Above all, buckle up. Being ejected from a vehicle is almost always fatal. How confident are you in your ability to handle a sudden animal on the road?
