Deer and Transportation Safety
Archive of news by state: Arizona, California, Idaho, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, Michigan, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey. Ohio, Pennsylvania, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming and Canada, United Kingdom.
Research Sites: - DeerCrash.org California Roadkill Observation System Wildlife and Roads.org
Research
Another problem with daylight saving time: The time change raises your risk of hitting deer on the road September 20, 2023 New York, Times Union
... In spring, when deer-vehicle accidents are at an annual low, the start of daylight saving time means a later sunrise and sunset. It results in a small decrease in deer-vehicle accidents. However, in fall, when deer-vehicle accidents are at an annual high because of deer rut, the earlier sunrise and sunset cause a significant increase in deer-vehicle accidents...
The Overlooked Danger That's Massacring Wildlife September 17, 2023 The Atlantic
... new book, Crossings: How Road Ecology Is Shaping the Future of Our Planet. Crushing turtles, severing ancient deer migration routes, isolating cougar populations—Goldfarb argues that “there may be nothing humans do that causes more misery to more wild animals than driving.” ...
New Research Sheds Light on How Artificial Lighting Can Influence Risk of Roadkill June 6, 2023 Utah State University
... Newly published research ... found that the deer tended to make their way across roads where surrounding artificial light was especially low... opens an opportunity to design interventions that better support wildlife with things like targeted placement of fences, signs to inform drivers, improved lighting and wildlife crossing structures...
Plan to address wildlife-vehicle collisions in Grant awaits funding May 31, 2023 NEw Mexico, Silver City Daily Press
... fund the design phase of the first of 11 prioritized projects. Theoretically, the U.S. 180/N.M. 90 Silver City Wildlife Corridor is the plan’s second highest priority ... Most collisions in Silver City’s hot spot — 465 out of 574 animal collisions — are with mule deer...
Assessment of Deer–Vehicle Crash Mitigation Structures on the US 33 Nelsonville, Ohio, Bypass. 2023 - Journal of Transportation Engineering, Part A:Systems Systems
... The project included three wildlife underpass structures to promote habitat connectivity, 16 jump out structures to allow wildlife to exit the highway right-of-way (ROW), and 2.44-m (8-feet) tall exclusion fencing ... Approximately 43% of deer that approached the jump out structures used them to successfully exit the ROW... the incremental cost-benefit ratio of the complete installation is estimated to be 1.65 ...
Momentum grows for wildlife crossings on southwest Montana highways April 14, 2023 Montana, Bozeman Daily Chronicle
... Economists calculated that between 2008 and 2017, vehicle collisions with deer, elk and moose in Montana amounted to an estimated $87 million in associated costs, annually...
Montana State University releases reports on wildlife crossing structures March 27, 2023 Montana, Explore Big Sky
... Montana State University released 14 reports as part of a $1.2 million project to identify cost-effective solutions to animal-vehicle collisions that support habitat connectivity and wildlife conservation ... “This is the most comprehensive analysis yet of what’s working and how we can make it better,” ...
Why didn’t the caribou (Rangifer tarandus groenlandicus) cross the road? The barrier effect of traffic on industrial winter roads 2023 Research Square, Canada
... Barren-ground caribou are in steep decline due to the combined effects of climate change, natural population fluctuations, and anthropogenic disturbance... Of 62 collared caribou that moved near the winter road, only 33 crossed the winter road, for a total of 100 crossing events. Caribou rarely crossed the road when any level of traffic was present ...
Researchers: Wildlife crossings critical for animals survival, proper design necessary January 12, 2023 kpax
... scientists developed a theoretical model, an equation, that could predict how long before half of the species stuck in an isolated region - such as a national park surrounded by human development ... The scientists point out that now is the time to establish wildlife migration corridors and keep them open...
Is it Safe? UCLA-led Research on Why Some Animals Fear Using Wildlife Crossings December 27, 2022 California, Sierra Sun Times
... Their study, published in the journal PLOS One, shows that these animals were less likely to use the undercrossing after they had displayed a “vigilant,” or fear-based, response to passing vehicles on the road over the crossing... wildlife managers should focus closely on animals’ perceptions of their environment when designing wildlife under- and overcrossing structures ...
'It is important for us': Why Utah developed an app to report roadkill December 11, 2022, Utah, KSL.com
... The Utah Roadkill Reporter app ... t having all of this information makes it possible to come up with solutions that eliminate collisions from happening in those areas. This could mean new fencing, underpasses, wildlife overpasses or anything else that can help avoid wildlife collisions...
Permanent daylight saving time would reduce deer-vehicle collisions - Current Biology, 2022
... Deer-vehicle collisions are 14 times more likely shortly after dark than before. Nighttime traffic and deer-vehicle collisions are more frequent during standard time. Collisions with deer increase by 16% in the week following the autumn clock change. Year-round daylight saving would reduce collisions, saving ∼$1.2 billion annually ...
Vehicle accidents involving wildlife trending up November 3, 2022 Wyoming, Powell Tribune
... A new report by The Nature Conservancy of Wyoming ... “At this rate, we are losing about 1.5% of Wyoming’s mule deer population per year in wildlife–vehicle collisions. Since the reported numbers are a substantial under-count, we may really be losing 3% or more of Wyoming’s mule deer population per year in these collisions,” the report noted...
Here's Why Minnesota Is No Longer Installing Deer Crossing Signs November 1, 2022 106.9 KROC
... The department of transportation says, "Research has shown that deer crossing warning signs do not reduce deer-vehicle crashes .... Signs that alert drivers to infrequent encounters or possible situations, such as deer crossing, children at play, or playground warning signs do not have a consistent impact on driver behavior." ...
Where do deer, bears, elk and turtles need help crossing the road in North Carolina? September 6, 2022 Raleigh News & Observer
... , the big federal infrastructure bill signed into law last fall included $350 million for projects that make it easier for animals to cross highways... the question of the moment is: Where do we need wildlife road crossings in North Carolina? This report is our answer to that question.” ...
Wildlife crossings potentially save millions of dollars annually in Washington state August 30, 2022 Washington, Phys.org
... A Washington State University economic analysis found there were 1 to 3 fewer collisions involving wildlife per mile, each year in a 10-mile radius around each wildlife crossing in the study... Deer are the animals most likely to be involved in vehicle collisions, which cost on average about $9,000 per accident. Camera traps also show that deer seem to use bridge crossings more often ..
Researchers Are Trying to Eliminate “Deer in Headlights” Auto Accidents May 24, 2022 Ohio, Field & Stream
. ... The truck was equipped with a rear-facing LED light bar designed to illuminate the full grille to make the vehicle loom larger, giving deer a better idea of what was coming versus the two blinding pinpoints of light they usually see with basic headlights... Vehicles approaching without the frontal illumination were 3.6 times more likely to have a dangerous encounter...
Oregon's new 'Watch For Wildlife' license plates to fund animal road crossing projects May 2, 2022 KATU
... The plate features a mule deer - a species native to Eastern Oregon that is in decline... money goes directly to projects aimed at providing safe passages for wildlife ...
Acoustic measurement of deer alert whistles and investigation of sika deer reaction to alert sounds played back through loudspeaker Wildlife and Human Society 9 : 7585, 2021
...The acoustic measurement of the alert whistles revealed that the basic acoustic characteristics of these whistles are similar, and it was confirmed that these whistles produce sounds of approximately 3 kHz, which are similar to deer alarm calls or sounds of approximately 17–18 kHz. However, none of the sounds could be confirmed in the measurement experiments while the vehicle was running. The investigation of the sika deer reaction to the alert whistles sounds confirmed that the sika deer provided a vigilant reaction to the sounds of approximately 3 kHz and to those of deer alert played back through a loudspeaker...
As Utah's population grows, so does its need for wildlife crossings January 18, 2022 KUER
... DWR said studies show there’s a 90% reduction in wildlife and car collisions when these types of structures are in place... “We have over 60 wildlife crossing statewide, but the majority of them go under roads and are just not as visible,” ..
Wildlife crossings, the Wyoming way January 18, 2022 Bozeman Daily Chronicle
... The Game and Fish Department’s wildlife crossing website promotes eye-catching stats: 4 percent of the state’s mule deer population is killed every year in vehicle collisions; deer need 30 seconds between vehicles to safely cross a road; 15 percent of all Wyoming vehicles crashes are with wildlife ...
Stay alert: Risk of hitting deer on Vermont highways is high with breeding season November 18, 2021 Vermont, YAHOO!News
... [Deer Killed Each Year from Vehicle Collisions]: 2016, 2,313; 483 adult males; 1,126 adult females; 310 juvenile males and 394 juvenile females.
2017: 2,246; 508 adults males; 1,067 adult females; 287 juvenile males and 384 juvenile females.
2018: 2,524; 534 adults males; 1,252 adults females; 319 juvenile males and 419 juvenile females.
2019: 2,219; 487 adults males; 1,132 adult females; 239 juvenile males and 361 juvenile females.
2020: 1,948 deer were hit and killed, including 410 adult males; 1,021 adult females; 219 juvenile males and 298 juvenile females.
Wildlife corridors report urges projects to reconnect pieces of habitat September 7, 2021 Virginia, CBS 19 News
... two such wildlife corridors near Charlottesville, one of which is near a very highly trafficked part of Interstate 64. The release says an analysis of the corridor system found that the two corridors reduced vehicle-wildlife collisions by 92 percent... The Full Report
Enhancing Existing Isolated Underpasses with Fencing Reduces Wildlife Crashes and Connects Habitat 2021, Human–Wildlife Interactions
...Our study found that the addition of wildlife fencing to certain existing isolated underpasses can be a highly cost-effective means of increasing driver safety and enhancing habitat connectivity for wildlife. The benefits from crash reduction exceeded the fencing costs in 1.8 years, and fencing resulted in an average saving of >$2.3 million per site over the 25-year lifetime of the fencing. The results add to the growing body of knowledge about effective ways we can use existing infrastructure to connect wildlife habitat and increase driver safety...
Caught on Camera: Opossums, bunnies, coyotes and deer using land bridge June 22, 2021, Texas, WOAI San Antonio
...A study of wildlife crossings by the University of Natural Resources Conservation at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, recommends crossings be a minimum of 50 meters wide (164 feet) at the base and as little as 8 meters (26 feet) at the center to encourage wildlife to use it. ...
A Covid-Era Lesson on Making Roads Safer For Wildlife June 9, 2021 Bloomberg
... a recent study published in Biological Conservation, which found the number of deer, moose, coyotes, cougars and other large wild animals killed per day on state highways in California, Idaho, Maine and Washington fell 34% between mid-March and mid-April 2020, as driving fell 71%...
A sound deterrent prevented deer intrusions at the intersection of a river and fence T Honda - Mammal Study, 2019
...Previous studies reported that sound deterrents were ineffective, but this study revealed efficacy of the sound deterrent; this disparity could be due to the use of an attractant, since most studies employed food to test deterrent effectiveness. The short-term (four-week) tests demonstrated the effectiveness of the sonic device; however, long-term tests revealed that the efficacy declined with long-term usage (habituation effect). Use of the device should be limited, i.e., for no longer than one month...
Wildlife mortality on roads and railways following highway mitigationPS Gilhooly, SE Nielsen, J Whittington, CC St. Clair - Ecosphere, 2019 [PDF]
... Our results support and extend previous work demonstrating that exclusion fencing and wildlife crossing structures reduce wildlife mortalities on the highway at this location, and provide limited evidence, for other ungulates alone, that such mitigation may increase mortality on the adjacent railway...
Effects of Hunting Activities on Deer Vehicle Collisions February 2019, Yunhe Ma, North Carolina
... an econometric analysis of the relationship between hunting activities and deer-related vehicle crashes during hunting season from year 2009 to 2016. Increases in the deer harvest increases the frequency of DVCs during hunting season. The buck population has a bigger impact on DVCs than the doe population. Harvesting deer on private lands has a smaller effect on DVC than harvesting on public hunting lands...
New study proves more wildlife-vehicle collisions occur during full moon December 1, 2017 California, Santa Cruz Sentinel
... looked through more than 77,000 reports of wildlife-vehicle collisions in New York state from 2005 to 2007... significantly more of these accidents occur during a full moon... paper ...in the journal Biodiversity and Conservation. Insurance ...
Biologist speaks on issue of deer crossings October 16, 2017 Wyoming, Cody Enterprise
... over 6,000 instances in which a deer was struck by a vehicle last year... “a pretty dramatic underestimate” due to the difficulty of collecting accurate data... About 4 percent of the total deer population is struck in any given year ... animal bridges and tunnels reduce crashes by 80-90 percent ...
Scale-dependent effects of landscape composition and configuration on deer-vehicle collisions and their relevance to mitigation and planning options SJ Hegland, LN Hamre - Landscape and Urban Planning, 2018
... The number of deer-vehicle collisions (DVCs) were lower when road verges contained little woody vegetation. Landscape scale composition with high proportion of open land cover also significantly reduced DVCs. Landscape configuration with farmland downhill and forest uphill increased DVCs. Road verge clearance saved money and deer...
Updates from the Transportation and Wildlife Front P Cramer, R Hamlin - Intermountain Journal of Sciences, 2017
... The results show support for the idea that the length of wildlife crossing structures is the most important structural dimension for mule deer success. Results also show a willingness of white-tailed deer to use bridged structures that are under 5 feet high to pass beneath roads. Elk are the “problem child” of wildlife crossing structures in several places, and are very hesitant to use any structures...
Electronic Deer Warning System December, 2016 Zhuo, Lu. CA San Luis Obispo - 2016
... The primary means of detecting a moving vehicle is via seismic vibration. It is known that deer can hear ultrasonic tones up to 30 KHz (inaudible to humans), so the system will create these sounds with piezoelectric buzzers. The firmware was designed to be simple to understand, with helpful abstractions provided to future programmers. This is important so that researchers are not hampered by the code and understanding the system, and can instead focus on research and parsing data. Additionally, the hardware circuitry involved with data collection and power management was created to be as power-efficient as possible so that the system will require as little maintenance as possible...
Roadkill Hot Spots on California's Highways Identified in Report June 29, 2016 UC Davis
... The 2016 report from the UC Davis Road Ecology Center pinpoints stretches of highway where wildlife-vehicle conflicts are most common. It drew largely from the thousands of volunteer scientist observations submitted into the California Roadkill Observation System, which also maintains an interactive map of the last 90 days of roadkill incidents and species throughout the state...
Pronghorn and mule deer use of underpasses and overpasses along US Highway 191 H Sawyer, PA Rodgers, T Hart - Wildlife Society Bulletin, 2016 Wyoming
... Of those highway crossings, 79% of mule deer moved under, whereas 93% of pronghorn moved over the highway ... we documented a 64–306% increase in the amount of back-and-forth movement of mule deer and pronghorn across the highway during migration periods. Such movement flexibility is presumed to improve their ability to respond to changing environmental conditions by easily accessing habitats on either side of the highway....
Lesson from the Deer Lab: The More You Hunt, the Harder You Have to Hunt May 16, 2016 Outdoor Life Magazine
...as hunter activity increased, the movement of white-tailed deer increased as well. The increase of activity in the woods disrupted and altered typical deer movements for the duration of the firearms season ... findings were later replicated by VerCautern and Hygnstrom (1998) ...
Effectiveness of short sections of wildlife fencing and crossing structures along highways in reducing wildlife–vehicle collisions and providing safe crossing …MP Huijser, ER Fairbank, W Camel-Means, J Graham… - Biological Conservation, 2016
... If the primary success parameter is to improve highway safety for humans by reducing collisions with large ungulates, the data suggest fence lengths of at least 5 km. While longer fence lengths do not necessarily guarantee higher wildlife use of underpasses as use varies greatly between locations, wildlife fencing can still improve wildlife use of an individual underpass...
Could Cattle Guards Augmented with Electrified Pavement Prevent Mule Deer and Elk Access to Highways? [PDF] JP Flower, PC Cramer, UT Logan - 2015 Utah
... Based on strong results from the feeding exclosure trial, electrified pavement appears to have potential as an effective tool to reduce ungulate access to roadways when deployed at wider dimensions. Moreover, the material may offer a mitigation option for locations unsuitable for double cattle guards and wildlife guards, such as at end points in wildlife exclusion fencing and/or across roads with annual average daily traffic of greater than 500 vehicles...
Road and traffic factors correlated to wildlife–vehicle collisions in Galicia (Spain) E Valero, J Picos, X Álvarez - Wildlife Research, 2016
... Our results showed that the daily traffic volume, the width of the road, the number of lanes and speed limit affect whether a particular road marker has a high or low density of WVC... high WVC is frequently characterised by wider lanes and shoulders, as well as gentler slopes, whereas in the sections with narrower roads and a shorter curvature radius, there are some conditions (low visibility and speed reduction) that reduce the probability of having an accident with ungulates. However, the speed at which it is possible to drive on a given road section is closely related to the occurrence of WVC. These findings emphasise the importance of including mitigation measures in the decision-making when planning and designing infrastructure...
Roadside Activity and Behavior of White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus Virginianus) and Other Wildlife Near Unfenced Underpasses BM Donaldson, YJ Kweon, LN Lloyd - 2016
... Highway crossing attempts by deer resulted in 7.5 DVCs per year on the 1-mile highway segments adjacent to the unfenced underpasses. The findings support the installation of fencing along the roadside adjacent to existing underpasses used by deer. After the planned fence installation, the post-mitigation monitoring study may show that this low-cost form of mitigation could have a substantial impact on drivers and wildlife, particularly if implemented on a large scale...
Study to determine if wildlife bridges, tunnels effective December 2, 2015 Arizona, Tucson News Now
... The Department of Transportation is spending an estimated $11 million for an animal overpass on State Route 77 near Catalina. It will connect the wildlife corridor from the Catalinas to the Tortolitas. The study will determine its value to animals and humans ...
An Evaluation of Roadside Activity and Behavior of Deer and Black Bear to Determine Mitigation Strategies for Animal-Vehicle Collisions [PDF] BM Donaldson, YJ Kweon, LN Lloyd - 2015 Virginia
... Study recommendations include (1) the installation of fencing along the roadside adjacent to existing large underpasses, and (2) an animal advisory message on the dynamic message signs along I-64 in the Afton Mountain area. Messages should be displayed from dusk through dawn from October through November (to correspond with periods of higher deer activity and DVCs). Fencing both sides of just one underpass is expected to result in a savings in costs associated with DVCs of $501,473 over its service life. ..
GA Drivers Be On The Lookout This Fall: Deer-Vehicle Collisions September 28, 2015 Georgia, GeorgiaWildLife.com
... Recently published in the Journal of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, the study analyzed deer-vehicle collisions from 2005 to 2012 and then compared the timing of those wrecks with available conception data, deer movement information obtained from deer wearing GPS collars in Harris County and the old “rut map” from Georgia Outdoor News... The map can be found online and downloaded at the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ website. “Using Deer-vehicle Collisions to Map White-Tailed Deer Breeding Activity in Georgia” can be found online [PDF] ...
How a Video Game Is Saving Wildlife From Being Run Over by Cars July 31, 2015 Florida, Yahoo News
... The picture-based signs did do slightly better than the word-based signs at reducing people’s speed and brake reaction times, which supports that hypothesis,” Grace said. “However, the word-based signs were still better than having no signs at all.” ... published Wednesday in the journal Nature Conservation, ...
UDOT considers new deer deterrent for safer roads July 17, 2015 Utah, KSL
... "When we covered up the reflectors with a white canvas bag, basically because we just wanted to neutralize the reflectors, we found that the white canvas bag worked better than the reflectors," ... 65 percent fewer deer carcasses in the areas where they put a white cloth bag over the reflectors simply as a control for their test ...
A scrap of white cloth is found to deter deer July 15, 2015 Wyoming, Jackson Hole News&Guide
... reflectors covered with white bags [white cotton bags] are about 65 percent more effective than reflectors with the black bags ... Apart from crossings — overpasses and underpasses — there’s nothing 65 percent effective out there.” ... the best predictors of collisions: Traffic volume and the speed limit were the most important factors relating to the nature of the road ...
Effectiveness of an acoustic wildlife warning device using natural calls to reduce the risk of train collisions with animals J Babińska-Werka, D Krauze-Gryz, M Wasilewski… - … Research Part D: Transport …, 2015
... The subject of study was the effectiveness of the UOZ-1 device – which emits the natural warning calls of animals – in protecting animals living near railway tracks... With sound signals emitted, animals escaped more often (84% vs. 68%), and their reaction to an oncoming train was 20 s faster. We found no proof that animals habituated to the warning signals ...
Context-dependent effects on spatial variation in deer-vehicle collisions AP Clevenger, M Barrueto, KE Gunson, FM Caryl… - Ecosphere, 2015
... Distance to water was an important predictor of WVCs in three of the five study areas, while other variables had modest importance in only two of the five study areas. Thus, lack of generality in factors predicting WVCs may have less to do with methodological or taxonomic differences among study areas than the large-scale, biophysical context within which the data were collected ...
FENCING: A VALUABLE TOOL FOR REDUCING WILDLIFE-VEHICLE COLLISIONS AND FUNNELLING FAUNA TO CROSSING STRUCTURES R van der Ree, JW Gagnon, DJ Smith - Handbook of Road Ecology, 2015... Fences prevent animals from accessing roads, thereby reducing the rate of wildlife-vehicle collisions (WVC). Fences also funnel animals towards crossing structures,
making them an essential component of the success of this form of mitigation. Fencing can ...
USE OF REFLECTORS AND AUDITORY DETERRENTS TO PREVENT WILDLIFE–VEHICLE COLLISIONS
G D'Angelo, R van der Ree - Handbook of Road Ecology, 2015
... Roads present an unnatural and confusing environment for wildlife and humans alike. Wildlife reflectors and auditory deterrents aim to modify the behaviour of wildlife on or adjacent to the road. Reflectors are designed to redirect the light from oncoming vehicles ...
Hillsboro Airport Wildlife Hazard Management Plan [PDF] N Atwell, J Hilterbrand, C Kaffka, A Lauber, E Shore - 2015 Oregon
...Deer rarely find their way past the security fence and onto the airfield at HIO, and do not need to be dispersed if they are outside of the airfield security fence. If there is a need to remove deer from within the security fence, Airport staff may gently coax them to a place where they can exit the airfield or they will be lethally removed following the Port’s Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife permit...
How does variation in winter weather affect deer-vehicle collision rates?
DD Olson, JA Bissonette, PC Cramer, KD Bunnell…Utah, - Wildlife Biology, 2015
...We found that precipitation decreased 50% and snow depth decreased 48% between winters. In response, deer used habitats that were 16% higher in elevation and that were 213% farther from roads with high traffic volumes. Consequently, crossing rates also decreased as much as 96% on roads with high traffic volumes. Reduced crossing rates were likely responsible for much of the 75% decrease in deer—vehicle collisions that occurred during the second winter....
Study focuses on migration routes in Island Park region February 8, 2015 Idaho, Rexburg Standard Journal
... The study focused primarily on moose and elk behavior and their movements across U.S. Highway 20 ... scientists recommended six of these areas for initial targeting of mitigation measures ... such as overpass and underpass structures — which allow wildlife to cross road barriers without accessing the road surface itself. In addition, associated fencing and warning systems ...
Researchers say preventing deer-vehicle collisions costly November 27, 2014 West Vigrina, charlestondailymail.com
... from 2008 to 2012, more than 68 deer were struck by vehicles between mile markers 4.3 and 16.4 on U.S. Route 19... The report outlines several mitigation techniques, including the installation of more wildlife fencing, enhanced deer crossing signs that flash yellow when deer are near the roadway, and setting lower nighttime speed limits... report can be found online at www.njrati.org/research
Underreporting of wildlife-vehicle collisions does not hinder predictive models for large ungulates NP Snow, WF Porter, DM Williams - Biological Conservation, 2015
... Our objective was to test the sensitivity of WVC studies to underreporting using 2 species of large ungulates that experience substantial incidences of collisions but exist in different environmental settings: white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in agricultural-dominated central Illinois and moose (Alces alces) in forest-dominated western Maine, USA... Prediction estimates for both species were also reliable until high rates of underreporting occurred (⩾75%). These findings suggest that predictive models generate reliable estimates about WVCs with large ungulates unless underreporting is severe; possibly because they occur in non-random patterns (i.e., hotspots) and variability in their environment influences is low ...
Transportation News and Research Archive
Mule deer bucks using the new Interstate 25 wildlife underpass in Colorado. Photo from Colorado Parks and Wildlife
News
Deer leaps from Route 3 overpass and crashes through vehicle windshield on Route 21 September 27, 2023 New Jersey, Yahoo
... crashed through the windshield of a vehicle heading south on Route 21 in Clifton, police said. After the deer wound up in the lap of the driver, 45, of a 2016 Jeep Compass, the driver lost control of the vehicle ...
New State Farm® data reveals the likelihood of hitting an animal while driving in every state September 12, 2023 State Farm Insurance
... New data released from State Farm pegs the odds of U.S. drivers hitting an animal at 1 in 127 this year. Drivers in West Virginia held on to the number one spot with the least favorable odds at 1 in 38. Montana (1 in 53), Pennsylvania (1 in 59), Michigan (1 in 60), Wisconsin (1 in 60) round out the top five most likely states to hit an animal while on the road..,
20 Michigan communities with the most deer-vehicle crashes September 4, 2023 MLinve
... State police reported 58,984 deer-involved crashes throughout the state last year, which was a 13% increase from 2021 and a 20.5% increase from a decade ago ... Deer-involved crashes were most common in the fall, particularly in October and November. Those two months accounted for 19,490 of the 58,984 crashes, or 33%... [Data for 2012 to 2022]
US 101 in Northern California adopts tech system to offset wildlife-vehicle collisions August 28, 2023 California, SFGate
... A multiagency effort to help prevent wildlife-vehicle collisions, expected to go live in 2024, requires placing transmitting collars on elk, which will activate signage to warn drivers that an elk is nearby. Researchers are targeting female elk, called cows, for the collars because they are philopatric and remain in one area ...
Wildlife crossings planned for westbound lanes of I-70 on Vail Pass August 21, 2023 Colorado, The Colorado Sun
... “There’s been a sea change nationally in thinking about these issues and the value they bring,” said Julia Kintsch ... Studies show about 2% of Colorado’s female deer are killed in collisions with vehicles...
Despite Having Fewest People, Wyoming Piles Up 8th Most Roadkill August 18, 2023 Cowboy State Daily
... wildlife officials estimate that as many as 85% of the roughly 6,000 yearly animal collisions here involve mule deer... Particularly in more densely populated areas in the Midwest and East, pressure from hunters can send deer fleeing toward roads. That means they dodge bullets and buckshot, only to be killed by front bumpers and grills...
Idaho's first wildlife overpass under construction August 16, 2023 ktvb.com
... The state's first wildlife overpass [state description] ... "We have a migrating herd of deer and elk that winter back and forth between their winter range and their summer range, and they have to cross State Highway 21," Rudel said... well-placed infrastructure can reduce wildlife collisions by 80-90%...
Colorado Officials Celebrate Completion of Wildlife Project June 27, 2023 Construction Equipment Guide
... some of the largest migratory herds of mule deer and elk in Colorado—and perhaps the western United States—migrate through this area. This can mean as many as tens of thousands of animals need to cross CO 13 and make 60-70 mile migrations east to west from as far as the Continental Divide." ...
Highway wildlife safety corridor along Highway 160 near Fort Garland to begin this summer May 20, 2023 Colorado, Alamosa News
... Most of the wildlife-vehicle fatalities in the area are mule deer and elk ... will consist of an 8-foot high fence that will funnel wildlife to three yet-to-be-constructed game underpasses that will be beneath the road where the animals will safely pass...
Wildlife Crossings May 12, 2023 North Dakota Outdoors
... on U.S. Highway 85 south of the Long X Bridge ... This crossing experienced 386 and 989 mule deer approaching the crossing in 2021 and 2022 with a successful crossing rate of 91% and 93% ... “Our current elk monitoring program with the GPS collars is indicating that elk want to cross just south of the badlands area on Highway 85,” ...
Wildlife overpass project to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions on Highway 21 May 10, 2023 Idaho, KTVB
... the goal is to reduce the number of wildlife-vehicle collisions while maintaining habitat connectivity for big game... a wildlife underpass on SH-21 cameras monitoring that underpass showed extensive use by mule deer, elk and other wildlife ...
Watch for Wildlife license plate fees provide project funding for safe wildlife crossings May 2, 2023 Oregon, The World Newspaper
... Almost 6,000 drivers in Oregon are involved in a collision with a deer, elk, bear or other wildlife species every year. A new Watch for Wildlife license plate became available for purchase on May, 4 2022 to help raise awareness about the issue and provide funds for safe wildlife crossings...
Highway 20 wildlife overpass study near Black Butte gets funding April 18, 2023 Oregon, Central Oregon Daily
... The Oregon Wildlife Foundation (OWF) is contributing $50,000 for a study the possibility of creating a wildlife overpass on Highway 20 between Sisters and Suttle Lake. It’s part of an effort to reduce collisions between wildlife and vehicles... between 350 and 600 mule deer and elk are killed every year by vehicle strikes ...
‘Watch for Wildlife’ license plate funding animal crossings in Oregon April 19, 2023 Fox 12 Oregon
... The state has issued more than 13,000 of them, and each one raises money for wildlife crossings, which are structures that allow animals to cross human-made barriers safely and can be a bridge, overpass or tunnel...
US rolls out funding for wildlife crossings along busy roads April 4, 2023 New Mexico, ABC
... Native American tribes, as well as state and local governments will be able to tap into $350 million in infrastructure funds to build wildlife corridors ... New Mexico also joined the effort when lawmakers passed legislation this spring to set aside $100 million for conservation projects...
Oregon Roadkill Consumption Declined Again in 2022, State Figures Show March 26, 2023 Willamette Week
... ODOT issued 5,488 “roadkill salvage” permits between January 2019 and November 2022. The permits are highly seasonal, corresponding to the deer breeding season ... a noticeable drop-off in permits, however, in the autumns of both 2021 and 2022 ...
Crossings eyed to reduce the number of collisions involving animals, vehicles March 20, 2023 Nevada, Las Vegas Sun
... The first wildlife overpass here was built in the early 2010s in northeast Nevada to help protect migrating mule deer ... Within the first few years of the wildlife crossings being opened, Simpson and her cohorts “documented a 50% decrease in mortalities with each subsequent migration (of deer).” ...
Saddle River suspends deer culling program after five years. Here's why March 18, 2023 New Jersey, Bergen Record
... "We have data indicating deer accidents have actually gone up in the borough since the hunting began, possibly because the deer are scared onto roads by the hunters," Lin said. "We're hoping the borough will review the data and determine the culling was unsuccessful." ...
Utah Approves $20 Million for Wildlife Crossings March 15, 2023 Public News Service
... the funds can be spent over time. Owens added the federal government needs to approve a four-to-one match, which would make a grand total of $100 million available for the projects statewide...
Once controversial highway program is now massive success story March 11, 2023 Washington, Adirondack Daily Enterprise
... at 11 wildlife crossings on a seven-mile stretch of Interstate 90. Last year, there were close to 5,000 crossings–mostly deer, elk, coyotes ... According to the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), Colorado has 69 wildlife crossings; California and Utah each have 50; and Washington and Nevada have close to two dozen each. Oregon is lagging, with just six...
Animals are dying on Indiana roads. Could wildlife crossings help? March 6, 2023 Indiana, The Indianapolis Star
... Annually, more than 14,000 deer-vehicle collisions are reported in Indiana, according to a 2021 newsletter from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources... Not that all wildlife isn’t worth helping, Boritt [president of the Indiana Wildlife Federation] said, but it’s important to focus on areas and species that are threatened or of great significance ..,
Utah elk crossing freeways need wildlife crossings February 22, 2023 Deseret News
... another herd of elk has seen been trying to cross the highway. Over the past few weeks, at least 35 elk have been killed ... this week ... a bipartisan group of state legislators voted to approve $20 million for the design and construction of wildlife crossings ...
'Slow down': Colorado mountain residents concerned over wildlife deaths caused by trains February 6, 2023 Colorado, Denver7
... Officers found evidence of more than 80 deer killed along the tracks in 2022 ... There are herds of deer, and they're constantly going back and forth because that's the river there and that's BLM land there ...
Missouri considers plan to clean up roadkill February 3, 2023 Missourinet
... “Typically, MoDOT when they’re cleaning up areas, will just take the dead deer and throw them either way off the shoulder or like into the right-of-way. What I learned was you can still see them and our constituents don’t want to see them,” [State Rep. Paula Brown]
Multiple elk killed, euthanized after being hit by vehicles in Salt Lake City February 1, 2023 Utah, Fox 13
... The Utah Department of Transportation warned drivers just before 9 a.m. that the herd was near the I-80/I-215 interchange...
New Mexico lawmakers weigh next step for wildlife crossings January 30, 2023, Kiowa County Press
...State data also shows between 2002 and 2018, more than 11,000 deer were involved in crashes, or about 671 each year. The state's 2022 Wildlife Corridors Action Plan identified 11 safe-passage projects to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions and restore habitat connectivity ...
Oh deer! Herd of elk strands itself between a neighborhood and a highway January 27, 2023, Utah, NBC Montana
... Those members of the deer family arrived from the Salt Lake Valley's eastern foothills and stranded themselves on a strip of land dividing Interstate 80 from the neighborhood behind it...
Study: Staying in standard time leads to more deer-vehicle collisions January 26, 2023 Washington, MyNorthwest.com
... we increase our chances of hitting deer because they come out in abundance at night. A group of UW scholars studied deer collisions and found turning the clocks back in November leads to a 16% hike in deer-vehicle collisions...
Game and Fish Commission invests more dollars for wildlife crossings, mule deer projects January 17, 2023 Wyoming Game and Fish News
... The Commission once again invested in wildlife crossings to help prevent vehicle collisions with big game, voting to approve an additional $750,000 toward the Kemmerer wildlife crossing project on U.S. Highway 189. The project — consisting of underpasses, an overpass and game fencing — will help prevent collisions with mule deer and pronghorn ...
Film aims to raise awareness of chronic wasting disease January 12, 2023
Montrose Daily Press
... Colorado Parks and Wildlife developed these films in partnership with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department ... watch the film on Vimeo
Watch out for wildlife in the new year January 7, 2023 New Mexico, lcsun-news.com
... In 2019, the state legislature passed the Wildlife Corridors Act, which allocated $500,000 to study and identify priority areas to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions involving mule deer, elk ...
If You Hit A Deer With Your Vehicle In New York, Can You Keep It? January 4, 2023 WNBF
... you must first obtain a 'carcass tag' from New York State ... An average of 60,000 to 70,000 vehicle-deer collisions occur each year in New York State...
Completion of the Gilchrist Wildlife Underpass December 28, 2022 Oregon, BendSource.com
... In Central Oregon, an estimated 20% of mule deer mortality is a result of vehicle collisions. The first crossing built near Sunriver (the Lava Butte Project) along Highway 97 has resulted in roughly 85% fewer animal-vehicle collisions... Image below from the Oregon Department of Transportation
Critters crossing the highways, oh my! December 25, 2022 Colorado, PostIndependent.com
... . The estimates of wildlife killed on Colorado highways is probably going to go over 10,000 animals a year, with about 80% being deer and elk. We know where the hot collision zones are as we identified them 10 years ago ..
Pennsylvania ranks sixth in the nation for most animal collisions December 13, 2022 Fox43.com
... According to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), there were more than 5,700 deer-related crashes in 2021, up from almost 5,600 in 2020...
New Utah roadkill app hopes to improve human and animal roadway safety December 8, 2022 Utah, KSL TV
... It’s free of course in both Google Play and Apple app stores and available now. It uses GPS tracking and also requires users to sign in with Google or Facebook and asks for a phone number...
Permit required to salvage vehicle-killed deer, elk, moose and antelope November 23, 2022 Wyoming FWP News
... These are available at no cost and must be obtained within 24 hours of the time a person takes an animal into their possession. Permits are available either through law enforcement officers on the scene of collisions or online on the FWP website...
Officials warn of peak season for Oklahomans hitting deer November 12, 2022 Oklahoma, KOKH
... The Oklahoma Highway Safety Office says 836 cars struck deer in 2021, but most deer impacts aren’t reported, so the true number is much higher ...
Why aren't there any wildlife bridges in Michigan? November 11, 2022 WMUK
... There’s federal money to build wildlife bridges and crossings here. Is Michigan going to apply?... In an email, spokesman Jeff Cranson said MDOT has nothing in the works that would “justify” asking for a grant right now...
U of M researchers seeking to cut down state's number of car-deer crashes November 7, 2022 Minnesota, CBS Minnesota
... $200,000 study funded by the Minnesota Department of Transportation ... roads with higher speed limits have higher rates of reporting deer crashes based on several factors including proximity to law enforcement and how much damage is caused by the crash...
SPCA offering free deer whistles to drivers in Monterey County November 4, 2022 KSBW
... According to the SPCA, "when mounted to a vehicle, car, truck or motorcycle moving at 35 mph or faster, the deer whistle makes a sound that alerts deer of the approaching vehicle." ...
Watch for deer on S.C. roads October 22, 2022 South Carolina, The Sumter Item
... While the S.C. Department of Public Safety reports some 2,500-3,000 deer-vehicle collisions during a typical year, the agency reported approximately 6,000 during the past year...
IDOT reminding drivers to watch out for deer October 19, 2022 Illinois, WRSP - Fox Illinois
... Fall is mating season for deer and that means deer become more active, mainly at dawn and dusk from October through December... Officials say in 2021, 14,522 motor vehicle crashes involved deer in Illinois...
Tips to avoid deer/vehicle collisions after daylight saving time ends Nov. 6 October 18, 2022 Utah Division of Wildlife Resources - Utah.gov
... In 2012, there were approximately 10,000 deer-vehicle collisions, according to a DWR study. However, those numbers are likely lower now because more fences and wildlife bridges have been installed along migration routes across Utah highways in recent years, as part of the Utah Wildlife Migration Initiative...
What to Know About the $350M in New Funding for Wildlife Crossings October 18, 2022 Route Fifty
... The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act includes $350 million to help improve options for animals to traverse busy roads. The money will be distributed over five years. This is the first time projects to reduce wildlife collisions and stitch together habitat cut apart by roads will have their own dedicated pot of funding ...
Georgia DNR rolls out map to help prevent deer crashes October 14, 2022 WMAZ
... The state of Georgia sees between 45,000 - 55,000 deer crashes a year, and because of that, they put out a map that's going to keep you a lot safer...go to georgiawildlife.com/rut-map...
Watch out for wildlife: Vehicle-wildlife collisions peak this time of year October 12, 2022 Oregon, ODFW news
... Vehicle collisions with deer and elk tend to peak in October and November, when migration and breeding (the "rut") puts them on the move, making them more likely to cross roads. Fewer daylight hours and rainy weather also reduce drivers' visibility.
On average, ODOT documents more than 6,000 vehicle collisions with deer and elk each year. The actual number of collisions is likely higher, as many are not reported if there is minimal damage or no human injuries...
Kentucky enters peak season for collisions involving deer October 7, 2022 West Kentucky Star
... Since 2021, 2,988 highway crashes involving deer were reported to police in Kentucky. This was an increase of about 100 crashes from 2020...
Antler Alert: Nearly 3,000 highway crashes with deer reported in 2021 October 5, 2022 Kentucky, Jessamine Journa
... In Kentucky, 2,988 highway crashes involving deer were reported to police in 2021, according to crash data used by the Kentucky Office of Highway Safety to monitor highway crash trends. That was an increase of about 100 crashes from 2020...
Harvest, hunting put deer on the move in Iowa October 4, 2022 Iowa, Radio Iowa
... bowhunting season is underway and Jace Elliott says that is one thing that will increase movements. “It certainly will. You know, as more hunters enter the woods, it will slightly disrupt your movements. And yeah, we will see deer maybe change their habits a bit due to hunting pressure,” ...
New Law To Make Roads Safer For Wildlife Crossings October 2, 2022 California, SFGate
... The bill, labeled the Safe Roads and Wildlife Protection Act, recognizes how building roads in the middle of habitats and animal migration patterns can make essential species like mountain lions, elk and deer roadkill. It received bipartisan support in the legislature...
Wyoming Wildlife Crossings: How Wildlife Officials Got Animals To Use Them September 21, 2022 Cowboy State Daily
... John Hyde was a game warden trainee ... “I baited the underpasses with all kinds of stuff ... We found that apple pulp worked the best... they’d just bunch up inside the underpasses to gorge themselves on the pulp ... We’d hop out of the truck ... and start waving our arms and yelling at them to move..."
Deer to blame for increase in animal collision claims September 13, 2022 KSNT
... Deer-vehicle crashes occur in all Kansas counties, but in most cases, counties with high human populations and high traffic volumes record the most crashes.”...
Game and Fish Commission invests more dollars for wildlife crossings September 14, 2022 Wyoming Game and Fish News
The Wyoming Game and Fish Commission met this week in Buffalo for its September meeting. The Commission once again invested in wildlife crossings to help prevent vehicle collisions with big game, voting to put $500,000 toward the Kemmerer wildlife crossing project on U.S. Highway 189. The project — consisting of underpasses, an overpass and game fencing — will help prevent collisions with mule deer and pronghorn and create a safer road for drivers..,
Deer mating season is upon us, which may mean more wrecks in KY. Here’s the latest data
September 1, 2022 Kentucky, Lexington Herald Leader
... In 2020 for example, at least 2,091 highway crashes involving deer were reported to police, a database maintained by Kentucky State Police showed...
Animal crossings to protect wildlife could be coming to these Northern California highways August 31, 2022 California, Record Searchlight
... Future projects include a $10-$15 million overcrossing on Highway 97 in Siskiyou County... Raccoons, squirrels, elk and deer fare worst on North State highways ...
Stretch of Snowmass Canyon deadliest for deer and elk August 29, 2022 Colorado, Aspen Daily News
... there have been 61 reported carcasses removed between milepost 26 and 29 over the last decade ... “Over 15 organizations and agencies have joined the project, which aims to identify and prioritize specific high-volume crossing points where a bridge or culvert could dramatically increase the safety of our roadways for people and wildlife,” ..,
Pa. reported an increase in deer-related wrecks last year August 22, 2022 Pennsylvania, Philadelphia Inquirer
... The state Department of Transportation reported 5,726 such crashes in 2021, compared to 5,586 in 2020 ... Allegheny County saw the most crashes last year with 321. ...
Dry Piney wildlife-crossing project construction well underway August 8, 2022 Wyoming, EIN News
... Construction continues on the first of nine highway underpasses in western Wyoming that will reduce the number of wildlife-vehicle collisions in an important wintering area for one of the more premiere mule deer herds in the west... Highway 189 has one of the highest wildlife-vehicle collision rates in Wyoming ...
How Nevada is leading the nation in reducing animal-vehicle collisions August 7, 2022 The Nevada Independent
... thousands of mule deer and other wildlife peacefully cross the road on their own private pathway — a 200 by 600 foot overpass carefully blended into the natural surroundings. With fences surrounding the edges of the overpass and vegetation covering the ground, the animals are almost funneled into this bridge ...
Wildlife crossings, fencing likely slash roadkill by 75% on S. Hwy 89 August 3, 2022 Wyoming, JHNewsAndGuide.com
... numbers compiled by a researcher at the University of Montana show that a network of 8-foot-high fencing and wildlife underpasses could be cutting the number of smushed deer by as much as 75%...
Rejoining a landscape: Southern Oregon coalition moves forward with I-5 wildlife crossings July 30, 2022 Oregon, Jefferson Public Radio
...the Southern Oregon Wildlife Crossing Coalition. They are a group of scientists, agency representatives, and hunting, fishing, and wildlife advocates seeking to create new structures and enhance existing ones so that animals can safely cross I-5 in the Siskiyou Summit region....
$12 million wildlife crossing completed over U.S. Highway 160 July 29, 2022 Colorado, The Durango Herald
... The completion of a wildlife crossing on U.S. Highway 160 between Durango and Pagosa Springs is expected to reduce collisions involving vehicles and wildlife by a staggering 85%... in 2021, 75 deer and three elk were involved in wildlife-vehicle collisions where the new wildlife crossing was constructed ...
Bambi on board July 28, 2022 Colodrado, Durango Telegraph
... Wildlife collisions are a huge issue ... around the world, and manmade crossings are seen as a highly effective solution. The concept was first developed in France in the 1950s and has since caught on on nearly every continent ... Even New Jersey ...
France is building overpasses to reduce roadkill June 2, 2022 The Economist
... The intended beneficiaries are more unexpected still: hedgehogs, badgers, wild boar, weasels, deer ... Between 2021 and 2023, 19 new écoponts, or wildlife bridges, will be built over the a6 and other motorways ...
Construction of new wildlife underpass underway on I-4 May 30, 2022 Florida, WFTV
... “They’re putting this 61-foot-wide underpass that goes under i-4 and reconnecting habitat that has been fragmented for 50 years,” ... for bears, deer, panthers and many other animals ...
Wyoming DOT wins award for Snake River Bridge project May 20, 2022 Roads & Bridges
... The project will extend the Snake River Bridge to accommodate a wildlife underpass and will include three additional wildlife crossings that will facilitate safer wildlife movements, especially for large animals such as moose, elk, and deer...
Work begins on wildlife crossing to cut collisions on stretch of Wyoming highway May 12, 2022 KPVI
... More than 6,000 big game animals, particularly mule deer and pronghorn, are killed in vehicle collisions in Wyoming each year ... an average of 117 mule deer are hit on the Dry Piney stretch of highway annually. Moose also often fall victim to collisions ...
Legislation would lead to wildlife crossings in Colorado May 10, 2022 9News
... A bill awaiting the governor's signature could help with that by bringing more wildlife crossings to the state..."They estimate that there are more female mule deer killed on the side of the road each year than are harvested by hunters," ...
New wildlife underpass to help preserve Florida's biological diversity May 5, 2022 Axios
... you'll soon be less likely to hit a bear or a deer on I-4 with your car... "I-4 is a big barrier to wildlife ... The deer on this side of I-4 haven't seen the deer on that side of I-4 in decades." ...
Wildlife fencing project underway April 22, 2022 Colorado, NewsBreak Original
... The Colorado Department of Transportation will begin work on a wildlife fencing project... work includes concrete panel rehabilitation, deer guard installations and wildlife fencing construction...
Minnesota Researchers Will Count Dead Deer to Prevent Future Vehicle Collisions April 7, 2022 Field & Stream
... Drivers officially report 2,000 deer-vehicle collisions to authorities in Minnesota each year. Yet, State Farm records show 42,874 claims in the state last year alone... By gathering better data, the study ultimately hopes to reduce the number of collisions ...
Fences along Okanagan Connector trapping deer, making them easy prey April 5, 2022 Idaho, InfoTel
...“We haven't dived into this to see if it had a large impact but it does seem like there are certain parts of the fence where we do see more deer dying because they seem to be chased by coyotes or other predators into the fence and they do get a bit stuck and then they died,” ...
Video below: Area residents want PennDOT to put up a fence to try and prevent the deer from jumping. March 21, 2022 Pennsylvania
US 160 wildlife crossings project resumes next month March 18, 2022 Colorado Department of Transportation
... “Wildlife-vehicle collisions make up more than 60 percent of crashes in this area. This $11.3 dollar project is expected to reduce those collisions by at least 80 percent,” said CODT Regional Transportation Director Julie Constan...
State funding secured for the next wildlife underpass on Highway 97 March 16, 2022 Conservation Northwest
... The first wildlife crossing and one mile of deer fencing built on Highway 97 at Janis Bridge were completed in August 2020. Almost two years after the Janis Bridge crossing was finished, data from WSDOT shows there has been a 91 percent reduction in the number of vehicle-deer collisions. Before the undercrossing, vehicles hit approximately 50 deer per year in this area alone...
Raining deer? Residents want action as deer keep falling to their deaths in Pennsylvania March 17, 2022 KGAN
..."As you can see in the background, there's a deer that have jumped off this bypass,” explained resident Bill Boylan, referring to the US-219 bypass that runs through the town. “Recently, since we lived on the other side of the bypass, we've had 25 deer jump to their death in a populated area...
Colorado lawmakers aim for federal wildlife crossing funds March 10, 2022 Kiowa County Press
... Senate Bill 151 ... aiming to reduce collisions between wildlife and motorists ... would create a fund for some 25 wildlife crossing projects on roads and highways ...
New Camera Study Tracks Wildlife Migration to Reduce Collisions Along I 395 March 10, 2022 Public News Service
... he road cuts off the migration pattern for many different species. "The mule deer, coyotes, pronghorn, elk, black bears, mountain lions," ... from 2016 to 2021 there were almost 350 large wildlife collisions - mostly mule deer - on a 60-mile stretch ...
Utah approves $1 million for wildlife crossings March 10, 2022 Kiowa County Press
... "The estimates are that as many deer and elk are killed on the highways as on legal hunts during the year, so this is a major problem..."
Reducing wildlife collisions in Oregon March 7, 2022. Environment America
... The Lava Butte wildlife underpass near Bend is frequented by all sorts of wildlife from elk and deer to bobcats and badgers. As expected, the crossing saves the lives of wildlife (and drivers). For instance, deer-vehicle collisions in the area are down by 90%...
Bring to life Wildlife Crossings Investment Act February 18, 2022 Oregon, YAHOO!News
... the estimated cost of collisions with mule deer and elk in Oregon reached $56.9 million in 2020 alone... House Bill 4130 is supported by a broad coalition and, if passed, will invest $7 million in strategic projects that reduce wildlife collisions across the state ...
Oregon bill would put $5 million toward safe road crossings for wildlife January 29, 2022 Statesman Journal
... The Oregon Department of Transportation recorded nearly 6,000 vehicle collisions with wildlife in 2020, and experts estimate twice that number go unreported... “Research is ongoing to determine locations where wildlife migration patterns intersect with Oregon highways,” ...
How the NMDOT Wildlife Corridor Action Plan will affect Otero County January 26, 2022 New Mexico, Alamogordo Daily News
... "The high number of accidents on Highway 70 and 82 shows we have heavy migration of megafauna, like elk and deer. These are areas we will be focusing on for future wildlife improvements to lower the accident rate." ...
Deer on Kahului Airport runway prompts additional fencing January 24, 2022 Hawai'i Public Radio
... A reinforced fence has been installed around Kahului Airport after a deer blocked a runway earlier this month...
What Montana can learn from Wyoming's approach to wildlife crossings January 10, 2021 Montana Free Press
... 4% of the state’s mule deer population is killed every year in vehicle collisions ... Wyoming identified 240 stretches of roadway of special concern for wildlife mortality...
$3.8 Million Wildlife Crossing Being Constructed Over I-25 Between Buffalo & Kaycee January 4, 2021 Wyoming, Sheridan Media
... will use existing underpasses and high fencing on a 15-mile stretch of I-25 to funnel wildlife through to the other side of the interstate, reducing accidents with mule deer and white-tailed deer...
Parley's Canyon wildlife crossing captures footage of over 20 species January 3, 2022 Utah, ABC4 Utah
... Over the past year, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources confirmed 706 animal crossings of 23 different species including six bird species, 414 mule deer crossings, 54 coyote crossings ...
Other states found success with wildlife bridges, so where are Wisconsin’s? December 31, 2021 Hometown News Group News
... Deer cause more than 16,000 car crashes in Wisconsin every year, leading to millions of dollars in damage, and even a few lives lost. Yet the state has no wildlife crossing structures big enough for deer, which are effective in other states...
Remedy ID’d for deadly drive through Dubois deer range December 28, 2021 Wyoming, WyoFile
... An average of 150 wildlife-vehicle collisions are known to occur every year along a 49-mile stretch of Highway 26 ... a plan to cobble together millions of dollars to fund an overpass, high exclusionary fencing and a network of underpasses intended to curb the collisions...
Highway Patrols warns drivers to watch out for deer November 10, 2021 North Carolina, FOX Carolina
... Last year, Highway Patrol says there were 2,700 deer vs. vehicle collisions... "If you see one, you always know there may be two or three more behind them," ...
Deer season is here and causing collisions December 10, 2021 Mississippi, WCBI
... there are around 3,700 deer collisions in the state every year. So far, this year 1,915 crashes have been reported...
Wildlife crashes declined during pandemic, but Central Oregon remains hotspot November 28, 2021 Bend Bulletin
... Pandemic lockdown orders had an impact on wildlife. As the total number of vehicle miles traveled in Oregon decreased by 10.77% from 2019 to 2020, wildlife crashes across the state decreased by 2.37%, according to data from the Oregon Department of Transportation...
Deer-vehicle crashes in Michigan fell in 2020, due in part to fewer drivers during the pandemic October 25, 2021 MLive
... More than 51,000 automobile crashes on Michigan roadways involved deer in 2020, reversing an upward year-over-year trend of total deer crashes that dates back to 2016 ... five percent of the 245,432 automobile accidents in Michigan ...
RI DEM: Drivers beware of deer danger during mating season October 25, 2021 Rhode Island, Providence Journal
... In 2020, there were 1,163 reported vehicle-deer collisions in Rhode Island, according to DEM's Division of Fish and Wildlife. That was up from 838 in 2019...
It's that time of year to watch for deer October 8, 2021 Missuri, News Tribune
... Last year, the Missouri State Highway Patrol reported 3,639 traffic crashes involving deer ...
Making way for Colorado wildlife September 15, 2021 Colorado, telluridenews.com
... The Southern Ute Tribe provided critical support to this project, by offering “data that identified seasonal migration patterns and habitat in the area.” ... Two miles of U.S. Highway 160, east of Durango ... The crossing is the result of a collaboration between “federal and state agencies, academics, nonprofits, biologists and engineers,” ...
Giving the Right of Way to Wildlife August 14, 2021 Sierra Magazine
... “We now know how detrimental roads are to wildlife. When these interstates were built in the '60s and '70s, wildlife wasn’t considered.” ... Today, there are more than a thousand overpasses, underpasses, culverts, and exclusion fencing in the United States. While many routes focus on providing safe passage for large animals like elk, bears, and deer ...
Rise in deer deaths on Hampshire roads during Covid June 21, 2021 United Kingdom, The Gazette
... Tony Lowry is chair of UK Deer Track & Recovery, a not-for-profit organisation which monitors levels of wild deers, and has to put down injured animals on Hampshire's roads... “The roads were more quiet so there were more deer out,” ...
How Do Animals Safely Cross a Highway? Take a Look. May 31, 2021 The New York Times
... “It felt like we finally found something that works,” ... A wide variety of animals were using the overpass, often without hesitation. Within the first several months of her study, she documented hundreds of crossings. There were moose, deer, black bears, mountain lions, porcupines and more...
Squeak sound of success: Japan rail workers' device scares off deer to avoid collisions May 9, 2021 mainichi.jp
... around one minute before a train was set to pass, a high-pitched "squeak" sound was heard around the tracks. The sound stopped as soon as the train passed by. This is a "repellent sound" ... The number of collisions on the section where the repellent sound system has been installed is currently "zero," ...
What to do if you hit a deer while driving in Utah April 29, 2021 abc4.com
... Call 911 or contact your local police department ... there were approximately 10,000 deer-vehicle collisions in 2012 ... Numbers are estimated to have decreased due to more fences and wildlife bridges ... In 2020, there were 5,298 ...
Mule Deer Migrations and Highway Underpass Usage in California 2021, The Journal of Wildlife Management
... Overall, our study indicated that although underpasses can provide safe passage for migratory deer decades (>40 yr) after their construction, deteriorating infrastructure such as fencing and gates can lead to wildlife mortalities on highways near underpasses ...
Road crews to begin constructing wildlife crossings on US 160 in Archuleta County March 18, 2021 Colorado, Pagosa Springs Sun
... “This project will span for two miles in an area that has been identified as a critical migratory corridor for both mule deer and elk,” ... This $11.3 million project is expected to reduce those collisions by at least 80 percent.” ...
Virginia legislators pass bill to expand protection of wildlife corridors February 25, 2021 Virginia, WVIR
... A bill that was passed in last year’s legislative session directed the commonwealth to create a Wildlife Corridor Action Plan that identifies areas where collisions with animals are high... More than 60,000 deer-related crashes happen each year across the state ...
Muley Fanatics donates deer crossing signs to Green River February 24, 2021 Wyoming, Wyoming Tribune
... These 30”x30” signs are solar powered with LED lighting around the perimeter of the sign, with the lights continually flashing and providing for a highly visible reminder of possible deer crossing ...
Legislation to protect Virginia wildlife corridors introduced in State Senate January 19, 2021 Virginia, Augusta Free Press
... More than 60,000 deer-related crashes occur in Virginia each year ... SB 1274 builds on the successful wildlife corridor legislation passed last year that directed the state to produce a Wildlife Corridor Action Plan to identify important wildlife corridors and road crossings...
Crossing to safety: How driver attention and innovative design can help protect wildlife January 10, 2021 Texas, Click2Houston
... innovative yet low-tech measure to minimize nighttime deer collisions is a rear-facing light bar mounted on the front of a vehicle. Illuminating the grill area presents a more visible looming object, reducing the “frozen in the headlights” behavior of deer. Researchers report the use of light bars reduces the likelihood of hitting a deer from 35 percent to 10 percent...
San Antonio unveils new wildlife land bridge December 16, 2020 Texas, Inhabitat
... We’ve had some accidents between cars and deer especially ... The newly built Robert L.B. Tobin Land Bridge now connects two sections of a San Antonio park that were previously separated by a highway...
Six new wildlife crossings constructed in Utah this past year December 3, 2020 Utah,fox13now.com
... It’s believed that more than 4,500 deer and elk-related collisions resulted in animal fatalities in 2020... Along with overpasses, bridges and culverts, areas of eight-foot-tall fencing were installed in various parts of the state to urge animals to move along the fence line towards a safe crossing area...
'It's working!' Deer, bears and other critters like Utah's first wildlife bridge — and the state has video to prove it. November 25, 2020 Utah, USA TODAY
... The bridge's construction came after 46 deer, 14 moose, and four elk were killed on that stretch of highway in 2016 and 2017 alone... 350-foot-long bridge ... we expected it to take several years before the animals got used to using it ...
Efforts to Help Wildlife Cross a Pacific Northwest Highway Are Working October 15, 2020 The Pew Charitable Trusts
... U.S. Highway 97 runs for nearly 670 miles through national forests, lava fields, and farmed valleys ... wildlife-vehicle collisions kill hundreds of animals each year ... purpose-built wildlife crossings and fencing can solve this problem, and California, Oregon, and Washington have each built or are considering such features along some of the most dangerous segments of U.S. 97...
97A wildlife fence helps reduce vehicle/animal collisions September 23, 2020 Texas, Quad City Herald
... Parts of 97A between Chelan and Wenatchee have been the scene of scores of animal/vehicle accidents over the years and led to a cooperative effort between public/private group to install miles of wildlife fencing along portions of the road’s west side to help keep mule deer and bighorns away from the highway...
Highway 97 wildlife fencing project secures funding September 23, 2020 Oregon, Herald and News
... Directional fencing that will help guide deer and other animals to a newly constructed highway underpass beneath Highway 97 in northern Klamath County has been approved ... the $1 million project will be completed this fall...
Oh, deer! Thousands of animals safely crossed Okanagan Connector last summer September 9, 2020 British Columbia, Vancouver Sun
... The number of safe crossings done by mule deer alone along Highway 97C (the Okanagan Connector between Kelowna and Aspen Grove), using 11 underpasses and one overpass between April and October last year, was more than 3,700...
First phase of Safe Passage 97 project completed with private funding September 4, 2020 Washington, Sports and Weather Right Now
... the renovation of Janis Bridge to serve as a wildlife undercrossing, deer fencing completed on either side of Highway 97 for 1 mile south of the bridge, and required gates and cattle guards installed at access roads ...
This could stop deadly Hanford crashes with wandering deer and elk August 19, 2020 Washington, Tri-City Herald
... roadside posts wrapped with white canvas bags every 50 feet... lights shine on the white bags, making the bags look to other wildlife like a fleeing white-tailed deer, a sign of danger ... A study ... showed that posts draped with white bags reduced the number of car and deer crashes by 65 percent...
New data reveals how mule deer use wildlife crossings on Hwy 97C August 16, 2020 British Columbia, Castanet
... The potential for at least 3,700 collisions between vehicles and mule deer were avoided on the Okanagan Connector last year, according to new data from the Ministry of Transportation... the province has compiled a year's worth of data collected at 11 wildlife crossings ...
Preventing Animal-Vehicle Crashes using a Smart Detection Technology and Warning System C Druta, AS Alden - Transportation Research Record, 2020, Virginia
... buried cable animal detection system (BCADS) to provide roadside or in-vehicle warnings to approaching drivers based on the active presence of an animal ... approximately 80% of drivers either braked or slowed in response, indicating that the sign was effective. A 75% reduction in deer-vehicle crashes was observed in the first year after system deployment...
Frontal vehicle illumination via rear‐facing lighting reduces potential for collisions with white‐tailed deer TL DeVault, TW Seamans, BF Blackwell - Ecosphere, 2020
... Road-crossing behavior was influenced heavily by proximity to concealing cover; deer only crossed when the nearest cover was located on the opposite side of the road. We contend that frontal vehicle illumination via rearfacing lighting has potential to greatly reduce vehicle collisions with deer and other species...
Hwy. 97 wildlife underpasses have had bigger safety impact than expected July 29, 2020 Oregon, KTVZ
... Oregon Department of Transportation says the underpasses have reduced wildlife-vehicle crashes by 95 percent along the highway... The Oregon Hunter's Association and the Oregon Fish & Wildlife Foundation have put up nearly $500,000 to provide fences...
Collaborative effort to reduce costly collisions July 29, 2020 Wyoming, Buffalo Bulletin
... In any given year, vehicle collisions can kill up to 4% of Wyoming’s total mule deer population. Local mulies are already struggling... commissioners expressed support for work on all three of the wildlife crossing projects presented ...
Watch Out Bambi! New Lighting System Reduces Deer-Vehicle Collisions July 29, 2020 Vet
... During experiments with free-roaming white-tailed deer, researchers at the Wildlife Services program’s National Wildlife Research Center (NWRC) found the use of a rear-facing light-emitting diode (LED) light bar resulted in fewer dangerous deer-vehicle interactions...The light bar illuminates a larger portion of the vehicle’s front surface than standard headlights alone ...
Roadkill Reduced During Lockdowns, but Traffic is Increasing Again July 1, 2020 Smithsonian
... The study by UC Davis compared this year’s reported roadkill rates to around the same time of year in 2015 through 2019 ... Most animals killed by cars are deer and elk... in Maine, which had the highest daily roadkill rate of more than 15 animals per day on average, the stay-at-home order reduced roadkill by 45 percent...
Watch Tesla Autopilot swerve at last second to avoid a deer July 1, 2020 Electrek
... We are starting to see an increasing number of reports from Tesla owners about Autopilot doing some really aggressive maneuvers to avoid crashes. In this new example, a Tesla owner shares a video of Autopilot swerving to avoid a deer at the last second...
Province’s $1.2-million fence project to keep wildlife off Coquihalla Highway begins next week June 20, 2020 British Columbia, Chilliwack Progress
... The Coquihalla Highway sees around 160 wildlife crashes each year, 75 per cent of which involve deer. The new fencing ... will redirect animals to existing wildlife underpasses...
New Film Tells Story of Interstate 80 Wildlife Barrier, Potential Solutions March 27, 2020 Wyoming, University of Wyoming
... shows that Interstate 80 is an almost impenetrable obstacle to movement of pronghorn, mule deer and elk. The highway has severed or truncated migration corridors originating as much as 150 miles away...
"Deer Crossing" Gets An AI Makeover With StradVision Animal Detection System March 6, 2020 YAHOO!
... StradVision, an AI-based camera perception system, has announced it is developing animal detection capabilities for its SVNet software, which is used in advanced driver assist systems as well as autonomous vehicles. StradVision CEO Junhwan Kim said in a statement that the new software will "almost completely end" collisions between animals and vehicles...
Wyoming Game And Fish Unveils New Wildlife Crossing Initiative February 21, 2020 Wyoming Public Media
... There are an estimated 6,000 big game animals killed by vehicle collisions each year in the state... Wildlife Crossings: Keeping Wildlife and Drivers on the Go... legislators two years ago that allow you to purchase a license plate where the majority of the funds go to this initiative and go to future projects that will benefit wildlife and roadways...
New wildlife crossings in the West designed to save animals' lives February 6, 2020 UPI.com
... Utilizing now-affordable tracking collars, wildlife researchers have learned that deer and other animals that dart into the road are driven by an ancient instinct to follow migratory paths in existence long before automobiles were introduced...
Wildlife highway crossings, fences installed in Utah in 2019 to help prevent collisions January 1, 2020 Utah, Southern Utah Independent
... Utah made history when it completed the first wildlife overpass in the U.S. in 1975 on I-15 near Beaver. Since then, around 50 wildlife crossings have been installed throughout the state... Around 6,300 deer and elk were confirmed to be killed in vehicle collisions in 2019 ... “Deer typically follow the same migration routes every year,” ...
More Transportation and Deer News
Warning: The Video Below is Graphic Evidence of the Horror of Deer Vehicle Collisions.