Wildlife collisions are a big problem in America. How big? Well, there are more than one million major wildlife collisions every year, many of which result in dented bumpers, smashed windshields or even human injuries and deaths. Clearly, something should be done to minimize these dangerous and expensive collisions. Wildlife crossings might be the best solution.
Wildlife collisions: shockingly common
Odds are you know someone who’s been involved in a collision with a large animal. Such collisions might make for exciting stories, but they also cause a tremendous amount of damage. According to one government estimate, collisions cause over 10 billion dollars in property damage every year. And that’s not including the costs of road cleanup and the loss of wildlife.
The problem is especially severe in rural areas, where roads intersect with wildlife travel routes. In those areas, finding some way to avoid collisions isn’t just convenient — it makes financial sense.
Human deaths caused by collisions
Collisions aren’t just a financial drain, they can end in tragedy. Each year, roughly 200 Americans die in wildlife collisions, and 26,000 people are injured. Tragically, many of these deaths could be prevented if there were measures in place to reduce collisions.
How to prevent wildlife collisions?
Wildlife collisions might seem an unsolvable problem. After all, animals have to roam in order to sustain their population and find food. It’s almost impossible to prevent animals from moving across roads.
To address the problem, many towns and states have begun adopting something called wildlife crossings. Wildlife crossings are an attempt to prevent wildlife collisions in the most straightforward way — by giving wildlife a different route.
By building an inviting tunnel, overpass or bridge, wildlife crossings create alternative ways for animals to cross roads without endangering themselves or drivers.
The costs and benefits of wildlife crossings
Wildlife crossings can dramatically reduce wildlife collisions along a section of road, but they aren’t free. A large wildlife overpass, for example, can cost several million dollars. But that investment can pay off. One study of animal crossings in Washington state determined that each overpass saved society between $235,000 and $443,000 each year because of reduced collisions. If they are strategically placed, wildlife crossings can save lives and potentially even save money.
Another advantage of wildlife crossings is that they can take many forms, each one customized to a particular location’s needs and financial resources. For example, a town could build an animal underpass at a tiny fraction of the cost of an animal overpass. The customizability and value of wildlife crossings is one of the reasons that communities across the country, led by a coalition of hunting groups, conservationists and legislators, have decided to invest in wildlife corridors.
America needs wildlife crossings so animals and people can cross paths safely, and right now there’s a bill in Congress that will provide the resources that communities need to protect their property and themselves from wildlife collisions.
The bill champions wildlife corridors, paths through which animals can move without causing harm to themselves or human property. Wildlife crossings are a key part of the plan. If passed, this bipartisan bill could make our roads a great deal safer, both for animals and ourselves.
Tell Congress to support the wildlife corridors bill.
Authors
Steve directs Environment America’s efforts to protect our public lands and waters and the species that depend on them. He led our successful campaign to win full and permanent funding for our nation’s best conservation and recreation program, the Land and Water Conservation Fund. He previously oversaw U.S. PIRG’s public health campaigns. Steve lives in Sacramento, California, with his family, where he enjoys biking and exploring Northern California.
