Seasonal time change reminds drivers to watch for wildlife on roads, new Colorado law supports wildlife collision prevention

10/29/26

Bridget O'Rourke
Statewide Public Information Officer
720-219-2919
[email protected]

Lisa Schwantes
Southwest Regional Communications Manager
970-749-2015
[email protected]

Seasonal time change reminds drivers to watch for wildlife on roads, new Colorado law supports wildlife collision prevention

DATE: October 29, 2026

DENVER – Changing clocks and driving habits during daylight saving time can help prevent wildlife-vehicle collisions. Wildlife and transportation experts advise Colorado drivers that wildlife is on the move, so drive with caution and slow down at night. 

Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026, marks the end of daylight saving time, which means people will set clocks back an hour, see dusk earlier and wildlife are migrating to wintering habitats during rush-hour traffic on roadways. 

Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW), the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) and  Colorado State Patrol (CSP) ask motorists to drive cautiously, emphasizing our shared role in protecting wildlife as colder weather pushes animals to lower elevations.

• Slow down. Traveling at high speeds increases the danger of a crash with wildlife.
• Stay alert. Pay close attention to the roadway between dusk and dawn, when deer and other wildlife are most active and crossing roadways. Watch for movement and shining eyes along roadsides.
• Obey traffic signs. Many highways have wildlife warning signs to alert motorists of active wildlife movement areas to reduce the number of wildlife-vehicle collisions.
• Always wear a seat belt. Unfortunately, not every collision is avoidable. The risk of serious injury and death in a crash is reduced by half when seat belts are worn. 
• Report collisions. Drivers involved in a wildlife-vehicle collision should report the accident to the Colorado State Patrol by calling *CSP (star key and 277). 

In a recent press release from the Colorado State Patrol (CSP), troopers responded to 3,811 crashes involving wildlife last year, with October, November and December the most active months. CSP officials urge motorists to remove all distractions when driving and watch out for these beautiful animals.

Animals like elk, pronghorn and deer have annual migrations, following traditional routes between seasonal ranges, drawn by available plant growth and favorable weather. Wild animals need to be able to move between seasonal ranges to better respond to changes in habitat and landscape pressures.

This year, Colorado is seeing record-high bear activity across the state. Bears are typically active at dawn and dusk, and because they are constantly searching for food to fatten up before winter, drivers may see more bears on roads. 

"Colorado has the largest elk population in North America, alongside thriving numbers of deer, moose, pronghorn, and bighorn sheep across our state,” said CPW Wildlife Movement Coordinator Michelle Cowardin. “As these animals enter the fall mating season and move to their winter ranges, their paths frequently cross our busy roadways. We urge motorists to remain exceptionally vigilant behind the wheel—obeying speed limits and scanning for movement can make all the difference in preventing a collision with wildlife.”

Wildlife mitigation is considered in highway improvement projects to help reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions in Colorado. CPW and CDOT actively monitor wildlife data to identify areas that will most benefit from highway mitigation projects and that can protect wildlife on the move and keep motorists safe. Collaboration between the agencies has led to the development of statewide wildlife prioritization plans. To learn more, visit the Colorado Wildlife Transportation Alliance webpage.

"We are aware that roadways can be a huge obstacle for wildlife connectivity, and that is why CDOT’s design and engineering teams continue to explore ways to include wildlife mitigation features into our highway construction projects,” explained CDOT Chief Engineer Keith Stefanik. “We consider it a wise investment to include features like underpasses, overpasses and high wildlife fencing, especially when they can help reduce the number of wildlife-vehicle crashes by 80 to 90 percent.”   

Colorado Highway Migration Projects include:

Future of Wildlife Collision Prevention 

This year, the Colorado Legislature passed Senate Bill 141 (SB-141), known as the Wildlife Collision Prevention Program. Beginning on Jan. 1, 2027, an optional $5 fee will be charged when registering vehicles. The optional fee will fund wildlife safety projects across the state.

Wildlife safety projects establish safe wildlife crossings and improve habitat connectivity along Colorado’s highways. Wildlife safety features include underpasses, overpasses, high exclusionary fencing, wildlife guards and escape ramps. These systems save both animal and human lives by reducing wildlife-vehicle collisions. The Colorado Department of Transportation, Colorado Parks and Wildlife and the Colorado Wildlife Transportation Alliance work together to design and build wildlife safety projects in areas with high rates of wildlife-vehicle collisions.

The optional fee is collected at the time of registration of a passenger motor vehicle, light-weight truck, motorcycle or recreational vehicle. An individual may decline to pay the fee when registering their vehicle, and nonpayment of the fee does not affect the individual's ability to register the motor vehicle.

Media Event: 

This event will recognize the success of Colorado's wildlife crossing systems and provide an opportunity to share safety messaging about increased wildlife activity and daylight saving time. Representatives from agencies including CDOT, CSP, CPW and Environment Colorado will speak on these key points before leading the media on a walking tour of the underpass.

 Who: To RSVP for an on-site wildlife crossing tour, contact CDOT Denver Metro Communications Manager, Maddie Garbalagtys, at 720.230.6682

When: Friday, Oct. 30, 2026 at 11 a.m.

Where: Lower parking lot of the Flatiron Community Church West Campus, located at 24887 Genesee Trail Rd., Golden, CO 80401.

Bears are finding wildlife underpasses and overpasses as safe places to cross highways, like this bear using a CO Highway 9 underpass.

A wildlife guard and tall exclusion fencing were installed at a side road access off the U.S. Highway 160 near Fort Garland in southern Colorado. Wildlife guards are wider than traditional cattle guards and are designed to prevent large mammals like deer and elk from jumping onto the highway.  

Two elk cows and their calves safely cross under Interstate 70. These large mammals are using one of five underpasses and one overpass along an 18-mile stretch between Monument and Castle Rock, part of the Greenland wildlife safety system. 

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