Letter: More investment needed to prevent wildlife-vehicle collisions

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 13, 2026

In recent years in Maine, there have been more than 6,000 vehicle collisions annually with deer, which can result in injury and death for both animals and people. In the United States, wildlife-vehicle collisions kill 200 people and injure 26,000 every year, and they result in the death of millions of animals. This doesn’t need to continue. Using wildlife crossings — like bridges, tunnels, and culverts — animals are able to safely cross our roads, reducing animal-vehicle collisions by 80% to 90%, sometimes even more. They are a reliable and economically effective way to prevent unnecessary collisions. Let’s do our part to protect wildlife and save lives. ~ Lee Rusiecki, Freeport