Vehicle Collisions with Wildlife Spike 16% in Colorado after Fall Time Change
For deer, the fall time change on Sunday brought a 16% increase in vehicle collisions over the subsequent week. This rise occurred despite years of safety campaigns and the installation of 75 special wildlife crossings along highways.
In Littleton, the week following the time change saw more accidents with deer, highlighting persistent risks. Over the last 15 years, Colorado drivers have collided with at least 54,189 wild animals, according to Colorado Department of Transportation records.
While this figure is lower than in states like Michigan—where wildlife collisions often exceed 50,000 annually—the incidents in Colorado mainly happen along the densely populated Front Range. This area faces increased interactions between people and wildlife compared to the mountainous western regions, which still have much of the prime natural habitat.
New Safety Initiatives near Denver
State officials and wildlife advocates gathered near a wildlife crossing on the high-speed C-470 beltway in southwest metro Denver to launch a safety campaign aimed at reducing collisions.
“We’ve made wildlife crossings a priority in our rural areas, and also increasingly in urban areas,” said CDOT Director Shoshana Lew. “We cannot put underpasses and overpasses everywhere. Particularly at this time of year, we urge everyone to be careful of wildlife.”
Key Points
- A 16% increase in deer-vehicle collisions occurred within a week after the fall time change.
- Colorado recorded over 54,000 wildlife collisions in 15 years, fewer than some states but still significant.
- Higher collision rates are concentrated along the Front Range where human and wildlife interactions are greatest.
- Efforts include 75 special wildlife crossings and ongoing safety campaigns.
Author’s summary: The fall time change in Colorado leads to a sharp increase in deer-vehicle collisions, urging continued safety efforts along busy wildlife corridors.