As a teen, I was driving just yesterday when I saw a squirrel lying on the road. Last fall, I saw a stag on the hill next to the highway and a baby coyote that collided in an intersection. These are not the normal habitats of animals; they are driven from their homes. Wildlife-crossing morality has increased to become a norm.
In a recent article, Brady Dennis highlighted another victim of high-speed vehicles: red wolves. Only 20 of these endangered creatures are left in the wild on the planet, and we are tremendously lucky to have them in North Carolina. Yet, US Highway 64 still poses a major threat to their lives.
Every year, countless lives are lost on roads, but some tragedies are avoidable. The recent $25 million federal grant for wildlife crossings is vital to saving the world’s most endangered wolves and ensuring a safer future for drivers, especially teens. Teen drivers are most vulnerable on roads, and wildlife collisions add to dangers by leading to sudden vehicle turns.
Wildlife crossings and detection technology, propelled by the new grant, not only protects wildlife but also alerts drivers to slow down in time–and this is hopefully the beginning. By expanding this life-saving technology, we can help create roads that save humans and animals alike.
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