Reducing Wildlife Road Collisions: Infrastructure Solutions

Roads kill billions of animals annually worldwide. Engineering solutions including wildlife crossings and warning systems can dramatically reduce this toll.

Key Facts

Vehicle collisions kill an estimated 1 million vertebrates per day on US roads alone
Deer-vehicle collisions cause 200 deaths and 29,000 injuries to people annually in the US
Wildlife overpasses and underpasses can reduce collision rates by over 80 percent
Seasonal warning signs during migration periods reduce speeds near crossing zones
Badger tunnels in the UK reduced badger road mortality by up to 90 percent in test areas

Welfare Considerations

Road mortality represents one of the largest direct human-caused sources of wildlife suffering. Animals struck by vehicles experience acute trauma, and many survive for hours or days with severe injuries before dying. Beyond the individual suffering, roads fragment habitats and populations, reducing genetic diversity and local extinction risk. Wildlife crossing structures are among the most evidence-based and cost-effective interventions available, with benefit-cost analyses showing savings from reduced vehicle damage and human injury that often exceed construction costs.

What You Can Do

Slow down in areas with wildlife crossing warning signs
Advocate for wildlife crossing infrastructure in road development planning
Support organizations mapping and prioritizing high-mortality road sections
Report injured wildlife to local rescue organizations promptly