Like many drivers, I’ve felt that moment of panic when I come around a bend in the road to find a deer blocking my way, staring wide-eyed into my headlights. While I’ve been lucky enough never to hit one, nearly two million vehicle collisions with large wildlife — such as deer, elk, bear and mountain lion — occur in the U.S each year.

These collisions are not only deadly for animals. They result in around 200 human deaths, 26,000 injuries and at least $8 billion in costs related to vehicle damage and medical bills per year. The good news? Wildlife crossings offer a straightforward and highly effective solution to this problem.

Wildlife crossings are structures such as tunnels, bridges and fencing that allow animals to safely cross the road, and data shows they can reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions by up to 97%. In 2021, the Wildlife Crossing Pilot Program was approved with bipartisan support, but its funding for crossings runs out this fall. I hope that Pennsylvania’s member of Congress will pass H.R. 6078, S. 3503, and S. 3556 to reauthorize this crucial program.

Abigail Bergson-Conklin

Fort Washington