Colorado officials: change driving habits with time change to help prevent wildlife-vehicle collisions

The Colorado Department of Transportation is urging drivers to change their habits during the switch from daylight saving time to Mountain Standard Time to help prevent wildlife-vehicle collisions. Wildlife experts are urging drivers to be aware of wildlife on the move and to drive with caution and to slow down at night. 

Sunday, Nov. 5 marks the end of daylight saving time which means people will set their clocks back one hour, see dusk earlier and see more wild animals migrating to their wintering habitats during rush hour traffic on highways. 

As the sunlight fades during high-volume commutes, Colorado Parks and Wildlife asks drivers to stay alert and share roads with wildlife. According to CPW, autumn is the peak season for mating and migration time for many species, so drivers are urged to watch for wildlife as they experience darker commutes. 

CDOT advises drivers to stay vigilant, drive cautiously and slow down as winter storms often push wildlife from the high country into lower elevations. 

"This is the time of year when we start seeing more animals on the move at our state parks and on our roads," said CPW Fishers Peak State Park Manager Crystal Dreiling in a statement. "Drivers across the state can expect to find wildlife on or near the roadways as winter approaches and they can do their part in helping to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions with bear, elk and deer by traveling at slower speeds and staying vigilant."

CDOT has collaborated with CPW to develop wildlife prioritization plans for the Western Slope as well as the Eastern Plains that includes infrastructure like wildlife overpasses, underpasses and high fences with escape ramps and wildlife guards along highways. 

"From these studies, wildlife mitigation features can be added to planned highway improvement projects," said Keith Stefanik, CDOT Chief Engineer in a statement. "The prioritization plans provide us with a proactive approach to pursue strategic wildlife-highway mitigation where it is needed most,  to allow wildlife to safely cross busy highways and decrease the potential of high risk of wildlife-vehicle collisions."

Additional Information from CDOT and CPW:

Projects recently completed or under construction include: 

      •    I-25 Gap Project Monument to Castle Rock (five underpasses, high fencing and one overpass currently in design)

      •    CO 13 Fortification Creek Project north of Craig (one underpass and a wildlife radar detection system, high fencing)

      •    U.S. 550 Connection South Project near Durango (two underpasses, several small mammal underpasses and high fencing)

      •    I-70 between Lookout Mountain and Genesee exits (one underpass and high fencing)

      •    CO 13 North Rifle Corridor Phase I (two underpasses and one box culvert, high fencing)