Animal collisions are a significant and growing problem

Too little is being done, even though the technology and the will for change exist.

Collisions with animals are a significant and growing problem globally, with hundreds of millions of animals being hit annually. In Norway, this problem is also very widespread, with up to 20,000 animals registered as being hit on Norwegian roads and railway lines every single year. It is important to point out that only a few species are registered, and that the registers that exist are not complete.  Hunters hired by municipalities to take care of animals hit by vehicles estimate that over a third of collisions are never reported. In addition, they assert that poor marking and uncertainty about the accident site means that up to a third of the animals that are logged as being hit are never found.

The huge financial cost of animal collisions

Studies have shown that traffic has a far greater impact on fauna than previously thought, and that, globally, road accidents are probably the largest single reason caused by humans why wild animals die. Animal collisions have negative consequences for both animal welfare and the economy. The animals suffer greatly, and the loss of productive animals affects reproductivity and management. Municipalities with many animal collisions experience large costs related to handling and searching for injured or dead animals. In Norway, no comprehensive socio-economic analysis of the costs associated with animal collisions has been carried out. But in Sweden, the costs in 2023 were estimated at 10 billion Swedish krona for road collisions with moose, deer, roe deer and wild boar alone, and at 1.5 billion Swedish krona for accidents on the railway. The cost amounts to at least 100 million Euros in Norway as well.

Collisions with animals also involve the risk of serious injury and death among humans – in Norway, an average of 50–70 people are injured in collisions with deer each year and 1–2 people die. Furthermore, this leads to psychological stress for both train and car drivers and causes extensive damage to vehicles.

The necessity of research

The causes of animal collisions are many and complex, and any reduction in their frequency requires different measures. Animals move naturally through the landscape and are often attracted to food along roads and railway lines. They often discover the danger too late, are blinded by light, and do not associate the sound of honking with danger. Reindeer, for example, often move uphill when in danger, which can lead them onto the railway lines. Fences can be effective but have negative consequences for wildlife. Feeding animals to keep them off roads can increase the risk of the spread of diseases, such as scrapie, and clearing vegetation can cause tempting new shoots to grow alongside roads and railway tracks.

Drivers can be inattentive and drive at too high a speed, without considering factors such as dusk, dense vegetation, great snow depths, hunting periods, poor visibility and signage. An experiment carried out by the National Roads Administration showed that a yellow flash warning of a high risk of moose crossing only led to a speed reduction of 1 km/h.

Research into how best to influence both animals and drivers to reduce the risk of accidents is necessary. SINTEF, a Norwegian research institute, is researching solutions that can affect the drivers’ behaviour, while other research bodies such as RURALIS and NIBIO are investigating how to influence the movements of the animals. To develop effective methods that keep animals away from roads and railway tracks, it is necessary to combine this knowledge with modern technology and to be able to carry out sufficient practical trials.

The flaws in the current reporting system

Interviews with county councils, municipalities and their hunters have revealed dissatisfaction with the current system for handling animal collisions. The hunters make a great effort to find hit animals, but a lack of precise coordinates often makes the search challenging. Drivers also frequently don’t know what to do after an animal collision.

The location and sequence of events are often communicated orally, and the quality of the information varies with the driver’s assumptions and level of stress. Fear of liability can also lead to non-registration. Animal collisions must be reported to the police on 02800, but due to the high volume of calls, it may be difficult to get through. Many give up when they don’t get an answer and leave the place where the collision occurred without reporting. The operation centers behind emergency numbers feel that the large number of animal collisions that they have to deal with is highly stressful and unnecessary for their mandate. Foreign drivers on Norwegian roads often have no idea what to do in the event of an animal collision. There is no systematic way of providing them with information, such as SMS notifications on entry or information material at customs stations.

In Sweden, collisions with animals make up over 60% of all reported road traffic accidents. It is estimated that an average emergency call about an animal collision takes 5 minutes and 33 seconds, with an annual average of 70,000 calls. This indicates significant resource use, which is also relevant for Norway. A standardized system for notification and handling of animal collisions – for both wild and domestic animals – will be able to simplify the process considerably as well as relieve the police.

Expertise and cooperation

Experience from Sweden shows that special expertise among operators can make the process of reporting animal collisions more efficient. Furthermore, a national center specified to handle animal collisions with standardized procedures and continuously updated information on municipal boundaries, contact information for hunters, grazing team leaders and veterinary guards, will probably be more able to ensure a quick response, improve animal welfare and free up resources. The Norwegian Air Ambulance has investigated the possibility of incorporating a button for animal collisions in the 113 app, which will provide accurate coordinates and the opportunity to film the damage and degree of seriousness of the accident. The police should also be able to redirect calls from the other emergency numbers to such a dedicated switchboard.

Bane NOR and the National Road Administration are engaged in the problems surrounding animal collisions and are willing to test measures both to prevent accidents and to mitigate the consequences for animals and people when an accident occurs. Despite this, the willingness to innovate and the funding of research in the area is still severely limited by the authorities. The problem will be best solved through cross-sector cooperation and coordinated efforts. Given the large costs associated with animal collisions, even a small reduction in the number of accidents will provide significant financial savings and help protect both animals and people.