The majestic Colorado wildlife, particularly elk, is a familiar sight along the scenic travel routes in the mountains, much to the delight and sometimes dismay of drivers encountering them on the roads. The Colorado State Patrol has launched a new campaign dubbed "Give Me a 'Brake'" to combat the increasing number of wildlife-vehicle collisions, especially during the elk calving seasons in June and July. Last year, these incidents were the third most common crash factor, with 3,573 crashes investigated by troopers and the vast majority resulting in property damage, according to the Colorado State Patrol.
As elucidated by Col. Matthew Packard, chief of the Colorado State Patrol, highways like 74 in Evergreen are hotspots for wildlife crossings. As obtained by Colorado State Patrol, he urges drivers to "slow their speeds and stay alert during this high activity season for new animals traveling with their mothers." Colorado State Troopers are not taking this lightly, conducting weekly enforcement on Highway 74 come June. An integral part of the campaign is educating the public on spotting wildlife and appropriately reacting to it on the roads.
Practical tips have been shared by troopers from the Wild Aware and their Wild Eyes Program, advising drivers to scan the roads for any animal movement or eye shine, use high beams at night when safe, avoid honking at animals on the road, and use hazard lights if stopping for wildlife. They advocate not exceeding the speed limit as a precautionary measure. A startling statistic from the Rocky Mountain Insurance Information Association highlighted by Colorado State Patrol reveals that the insurance industry shells out roughly $1.1 billion annually in claims for wildlife crashes nationwide, with average property damage costs over $3,000.
In an unfortunate event where a driver is involved in a crash with an animal, the protocol is to contact 9-1-1, the same as any other emergency. Additionally, concerns for wildlife potentially in distress due to a collision should be reported via *CSP, facilitating the notification and dispatch of the appropriate resources. Enforcement operations are set for each Saturday in June by the troopers to keep speeds under control and raise awareness regarding wildlife. Motorists are reminded to be vigilant for wildlife at all times of the day, but they should expect more animal activity at dawn and dusk, as detailed by the Colorado State Patrol.
