7 Large Animal Crash Mitigation
7.1.6 Target Crash Population
The population of crashes targeted by animal crash warning systems is all animal-vehicle collisions. This population of crashes accounts for up to 35% of some States’ reported crashes on two-lane rural roads and over 21% on multilane rural roads.20 According to a FARS query,2 143 rural fatal crashes in 1998 (less than 1%) with known road class had animal as the first harmful event.
The systems described in this report should hold the maximum potential payoff when deployed in areas where there is a history of vehicle-animal collisions and the animals usually cross in the same area. Fencing can help funnel the animals to cross in the detection area.