July 9, 2018
Many wildlife-vehicle collisions preventable
Implementing simple measures could save wildlife and millions of dollars.
A new study from the University of 蓝莓视频 has found that Ontario could save millions by implementing simple measures to help prevent vehicle accidents involving wildlife.
The 蓝莓视频 study focused on Ontario and concluded that many of the thousands of wildlife-vehicle collisions 鈥� some fatal 鈥� occurring each year could be prevented if authorities implemented a few听cost-effective strategies to minimize the occurrences.
Implementing strategies such as better signage, wildlife detection systems, fencing and wildlife crossings could help reduce financial and health-related impacts for people, emergency services and the insurance industry. The measures could also help prevent unnecessary loss in the wildlife populations.
Associate Professor Michael Drescher
鈥淭hese collisions cost Canadians hundreds of millions a year in vehicle damage and medical costs, as well as traffic delays, emergency services-use and increases in insurance premiums,鈥� said 蓝莓视频鈥檚 Associate Professor Michael Drescher, who co-authored the study with graduate student Kristin Elton. 鈥淥ntario is missing an opportunity here. The most efficient way to prevent these accidents is to integrate effective measures in wildlife conflict zones every time major road work is undertaken.鈥澨�
The study looked specifically at Southern Ontario, which has the highest concentration of roads in Canada. With ever-expanding infrastructure having a significant impact on wildlife and their habitat, many of the cost-effective measures that could help reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions are underdeveloped in Ontario.
听
鈥淲ithin Canada, the Rocky Mountain region is renowned as a leader in the management of wildlife-road conflicts, said Drescher, who estimates five to 10 per cent of car insurance premiums go to animal-related incidents. 鈥淭hey鈥檝e realized the economics are simple. Adding measures to road construction projects only marginally impacts the overall budget, while saving millions in taxpayer money, insurance costs, and potentially lives.
Co-author Kristin Elton
鈥淕overnments have to balance many competing factors next with the technical elements of this problem, such as perceived financial constraints, public opinion and political motivations,鈥� added Drescher. 鈥淲hen these factors are not managed right, wildlife management measures are delayed or never started.鈥�
The study, "Implementing wildlife-management strategies into road infrastructure in southern Ontario: a critical success factors approach,"听was published recently in the听Journal of Environmental Planning and Management.
