One thing that has always greatly disturbed me, is the large number of animals that are regularly hit, injured, run over, and killed on our highways and roads. France and its neighboring European countries were the first to install an overhead bridge, to aid wildlife in crossing the road. This was accomplished as far back as the 1950’s. We now have about a thousand tunnels and overpasses built for wildlife here in the U.S. Wyoming is always about half a century behind the rest of the country, but at long last they have been granted funds by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, to build a structure in Johnson county to reduce the number of automobile-deer collisions. There are at least ten other problem areas that they plan to address in the near future.
Tunnels and overpasses for wildlife are somewhere between 80% and 90% effective in preventing accidents with wildlife. Back in 1973 speed limits were lowered to no higher than 55 MPH. They have risen steadily, and the stretch of highway between here and Cheyenne now has a speed limit of 80 MPH. Automobiles are safer these days, with better braking systems and steering; however, they are only as safe as the ability of the person, behind the wheel, to respond. While these projects can help animals crossing larger roads with greater traffic, it may take more of us to instigate similar crossings within our own neighborhoods, where we have observed a large death toll of small animals. Opossums are seen all too frequently on country roads because they move slowly and “play dead” when confronted with danger. If it is a female carrying young ones in her pouch, and she is killed by an automobile, it is more like a mass murder.
Some suburbs have installed speed bumps to deter drivers from speeding through neighborhoods where small children may be playing. Drainage ditches across the road also help in slowing traffic. Few people regard speed limit signs and I often see birds and squirrels in low speed areas that have been killed by an automobile. As long as there are automobiles, there will be death caused by them, whether it is that of those inside the vehicle, or those outside. Please become a watchful and observant driver to help prevent accidents, because that rabbit or squirrel or deer that you run over, has a family, too.
