Paraná authorities issue wildlife and road safety warnings for holiday travel

As a long holiday weekend approaches in Paraná, Brazil, the State Secretariat for Sustainable Development (Sedest) is issuing warnings to motorists to protect local wildlife. With increased traffic expected due to the Independence Day holiday and celebrations in Curitiba, authorities are urging drivers to prioritize daytime travel to avoid collisions with animals such as pumas, tapirs, parrots, and frogs.

To mitigate environmental risks, Sedest recommends respecting speed limits, following road signage, and ensuring that food waste is properly disposed of to avoid attracting animals to the roadside. In the event of a collision, drivers are advised to use hazard lights to signal other motorists and to avoid approaching the animal.

General road safety guidelines for nighttime travel also emphasize the importance of vehicle maintenance. Drivers should ensure all lighting systems—including headlights, fog lights, turn signals, and brake lights—are fully functional and properly aligned to maintain visibility and prevent blinding oncoming traffic. Maintaining clean windshields and headlight lenses is also recommended to reduce glare and improve depth perception.