A new report from the Pew Charitable Trusts said investing in road-stream crossings, which are intentionally designed to provide safe passage for wildlife, could be a solution to the problem.
Jess Roberts, southern Appalachian region principal associate for the Pew Charitable Trusts, said at this time of year, animals are on the move in the Bluegrass State seeking habitat, food sources and mates.
"That's why ultimately we're seeing an increase in this movement specifically for white-tailed deer. They're the number one cause of wildlife vehicle conflict in this area," Roberts explained.
Kentucky recorded a seven-year high of more than 3,000 car collisions involving deer in 2025, according to data from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and Kentucky State Police.
Misty Boos, U.S. conservation policy manager for the Wildlands Network, said it is especially difficult to address accidents on rural roads, noting the rising expense of medical transportation and emergency care, along with the removal of animal carcasses. She added the cost of large animal collisions can stretch into the six figures, making it an economic issue for state government.
"You can see how quickly that goes up in terms of the cost of these crashes and so, especially when we're thinking about how to create wildlife crossings out here in the east, we definitely want to be thinking about these big expensive species," Boos emphasized.
The report called on Kentucky and other states to collect data and commission studies on the costs of wildlife collisions and flood-prone areas and assess how integrated road-stream crossings can provide economic benefits and improve safety.
