Reducing The Threat Of Wildlife-Vehicle Collisions During Peak Tourism Periods Using A Roadside Animal Detection System
Keywords
Large mammals; Mitigation; RADS; Road ecology; Transportation; Warning
Abstract
Roadside Animal Detection Systems (RADS) aim to reduce the frequency of wildlife-vehicle collisions. Unlike fencing and wildlife passages, RADS do not attempt to keep animals off the road; rather, they attempt to modify driver behavior by detecting animals near the road and warning drivers with flashing signs. A RADS was installed in Big Cypress National Park (Florida, USA) in 2012 in response to an increased number of Florida panther mortalities. To assess driver response, we measured the speed of individual cars on the road when the RADS was active (flashing) and inactive (not flashing) during the tourist season (November–March) and the off-season (April–October), which vary dramatically in traffic volume. We also used track beds and camera traps to assess whether roadside activity of large mammal species varied between seasons. In the tourist season, the activation of the RADS caused a significant reduction in vehicle speed. However, this effect was not observed in the off-season. Track and camera data showed that the tourist season coincided with peak periods of activity for several large mammals of conservation interest. Drivers in the tourist season generally drove faster than those in the off-season, so a reduction in speed in response to the RADS is more beneficial in the tourist season. Because traffic volume and roadside activity of several species of conservation interest both peak during the tourist season, our study indicates that the RADS has the potential to reduce the number of accidents during this period of heightened risk.
Publication Date
12-1-2017
Publication Title
Accident Analysis and Prevention
Volume
109
Number of Pages
55-61
Document Type
Article
Personal Identifier
scopus
DOI Link
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aap.2017.10.003
Copyright Status
Unknown
Socpus ID
85030845194 (Scopus)
Source API URL
https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/85030845194
STARS Citation
Grace, Molly K.; Smith, Daniel J.; and Noss, Reed F., "Reducing The Threat Of Wildlife-Vehicle Collisions During Peak Tourism Periods Using A Roadside Animal Detection System" (2017). Scopus Export 2015-2019. 6002.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/scopus2015/6002