Study: Fewer Vehicle Collisions with Wildlife in California as Traffic Dips During Pandemic

A study shows California’s stay-at-home order in response to the coronavirus seems to have reduced wildlife collisions, as decreased traffic resulted in fewer collisions with mountain lions, deer and other large animals.

A study by the Road Ecology Center at the University of California, Davis found traffic declined by about 75% after the emergency health regulation went into effect in March, The Ventura County Star reports.

The number of animals struck and killed by vehicles also fell, including a 58% decrease in fatal crashes involving mountain lions between the 10 weeks before and 10 weeks after the order was in place.