New methods for testing the effectiveness of wildlife-vehicle collision mitigation measures

Mitigation measures against wildlife-vehicle collisions (WVC) on transportation infrastructure can be categorized into three types, depending on the target group they affect.The first group comprises animals, where measures aim to prevent them from entering roads, particularly in areas with a high risk of collision.For secondary roads, it is advisable to deter or appropriately warn wildlife from crossing.The second group includes drivers, who, on unfenced roads, must remain vigilant during critical periods of the day when wildlife may enter the roadway.The third group involves management practices, encompassing both road infrastructure management and the surrounding landscape.We focus on the first group: animals, and on testing mitigation measures designed for secondary roads.How can we assess the effectiveness of these measures?It is reasonable to expect that effective measures will reduce the number of collisions, and that this reduction will be significant.The common approach involves studies based on monitoring the number of animal carcasses found before and after the installation of measures, including observations on control sections.However, a limitation of such studies is the need to wait until a minimum number of casualties accumulate, which can take a long time.As a result, these studies are time-consuming and therefore costly.