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Cars have gotten safer in the last 50 years. Auto manufacturers and government regulators have spent a lot of time working on making it safer to drive.

But the best way to be safe in a car is to not crash in the first place.

In Colorado, there are thousands of vehicle collisions with wildlife every year. Roads fragment habitat and migration patterns, forcing wildlife to try to get across busy highways — often resulting in tragic outcomes for people and wildlife. Even mild collisions are very expensive for the state and nearby communities. The average cost of hitting a mule deer is over $23,000.

Fortunately, there is a commonsense solution that protects both drivers and animals: wildlife crossings.

In 2026, WRA helped pass bipartisan legislation that will reduce the number of collisions in Colorado by building more crossings.

The benefits of preventing wildlife-vehicle collisions go far beyond safety. Wildlife crossings also connect critical habitat and safeguard ecological resilience, helping the West's unique species thrive even in a changing climate. With more funding, Colorado and states in the West can do even more to protect our communities and wildlife populations.

We talked to an expert to learn all about it.

Welcome back to our series about conservation funding in the West. In these episodes, we're exploring how the West can protect our wildlife, support our ecosystems, and make outdoor recreation accessible to everyone.

2 Degrees Out West is a podcast from Western Resource Advocates, an environmental conservation organization that's focused on the Interior West. WRA works across seven states to protect our climate, land, air, and water. WRA protects and advocates for Arizona, Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, Nevada, Montana, and Wyoming.

2 Degrees out West is a podcast for advocates and decision makers who want to fight climate change and its impacts across the West.

On 2 Degrees Out West we talk with climate experts and advocates to bring you stories, experiences, and insights from their work in the places we call home.

It is Hosted by Dave Papineau

Want to be part of 2 Degrees Out West?

• Email us with thoughts, suggestions, and interviewees at dave.papineau@westernresources.org.
• Follow us @westernresourceadvocates on Instagram.
• Create a clip sharing "our Bright Climate Future for the West" and send it to us at dave.papineau@westernresources.org. to be included in one of our next episodes.
• Join our email list to stay updated on when new episodes are released and calls to action on how you can help the West.
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