Increased risk of wildlife-vehicle collisions as daylight saving time ends
More wildlife crossings needed to help animals move safely, reconnect nature
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MARQUETTE - This weekend, Michiganders will set their clocks back an hour and get a happily anticipated extra hour of sleep. But for wildlife this can be an especially dangerous time of year. Animal-vehicle collisions increase as animals are in rut and more likely to dash across roads, daylight hours are shortened and the clocks change. In fact, deer-vehicle collisions increase by 16% across the country in the week after "fall back."
"Deer and other animals' internal clocks don't change just because humans change their external clocks. Drivers should be extra diligent at this time of year," said Calvin Floyd, conservation advocate with Environment Michigan Research & Policy Center. "This seasonal trend highlights a bigger, year-round problem. Our roads and highways have fragmented natural habitats. Wildlife crossings offer a way to reconnect nature."
To get a snapshot of the impact of roads on wildlife this fall, staff and volunteers organized by Environment Michigan Research & Policy Center took part in the 2026 Roadside Wildlife Count, collecting information on wildlife along roads between October 2nd and 11th. Remarkably, in just a few days of counting, 129 animals were seen along roads in Michigan, 75% of which were dead.
"An animal darting into the road can surprise even the most vigilant and coordinated driver. That's why the best way to minimize collisions is to keep wildlife off our roads in the first place." said Floyd. "Wildlife crossings have been shown to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions by up to 97%."
Wildlife crossings - in the form of overpasses, underpasses, tunnels and culverts - provide safe passage for animals, from deer, moose, bears to smaller critters, so they can reach critical habitat, food sources and mates.
One mechanism for funding wildlife crossings at the federal level is the Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program, which could be reauthorized through the next U.S. Department of Transportation Highway bill. The program has accelerated investments in wildlife crossings across the country. This includes Michigan, which has received $464,376 for its Statewide Wildlife Vehicle Collision Hot Spot Analysis. However, this federal program lapsed at the end of September 2026. Given the expiration of the USDOT budget, it is expected a new budget will be a priority in the next Congress.
"With more wildlife crossings we can help animals and nature to thrive and make our roads safer all day, everyday," Floyd concluded.