USA sees 200,000 animal-vehicle collisions a year. Montana's new law is about to change that

While earlier the majority of individuals could enjoy occasionally seeing wildlife during camping trips or scenic drives, the current reckless times have robbed us of this opportunity. One of the biggest reasons behind this? Roadkill. Oftentimes, especially on highways and routes that see high traffic and higher levels of speed, headlights may not even gauge an animal until they are too close to be saved. In fact, swerving to avoid them has also resulted in several domino-effect accidents, where cars collide into one another at high speeds. As for the poor animal, the deep-seated fear of a fatal flashnight zooming in out of the blue has prevented many from even attempting passage, thereby alienating them. Thankfully, a July 22 legislation by the State of Montana is aiming to change that. 

As reported by the Montana Free Press, the state recently passed House Bill 855 and House Bill 932, marking a major milestone in wildlife protection. These new laws provide Montana’s first dedicated funding to build wildlife crossings, special bridges, and tunnels that help animals safely cross roads. Montana currently has the second-highest rate of wildlife-vehicle collisions in the U.S. According to the Montana Department of Transportation, 1 in 53 drivers will hit an animal each year, and 13% of reported crashes involve wildlife. These incidents don’t just harm animals; they are dangerous and costly for people, too, adding up to tens of millions of dollars in damages annually.

Kylie Paul, a road ecologist with the Center for Large Landscape Conservation, told Mountain Journal, “In Montana, we have a lot of roads cutting through intact wildlife habitats and migration routes. Many are high-speed, low-light and, to some level, still low-traffic highways, which help animals still feel safe to move across them.” These crossings, secured by proper fencing, can reduce vehicle-wildlife crashes by up to 97%, points out Environment America. 

Many animal populations are shrinking, and roads divide habitats, making it harder for animals to find food, mates, and shelter. This initiative can thus help species like elk, cougars, turtles, and bears move freely, without endangering themselves. This also helps maintain biodiversity and supports outdoor activities like camping, hunting, and fishing that rely on a healthy environment. As reported by the Environment America, every year in the U.S., up to 2 million animal-vehicle collisions take place, injuring around 26,000 people and killing about 200. Wildlife crossings are a simple, proven solution to cut down these numbers significantly.

Crashes involving animals cost the country over $10 billion every year, as reported by the U.S. Department of Transportation. According to recent reports, wildlife crossings are already making a big difference in many places. In Florida, they helped reconnect black bear populations that had been split by roads. In Canada’s Banff National Park, wildlife crossings led to a big drop in roadkill and gave animals better access to food and shelter. And in Arizona, one wildlife crossing has been used more than 6,000 times since 2020 by animals like bighorn sheep, bobcats, deer, and coyotes. These real-life examples show how well these structures work to keep both wildlife and people safe.