Pennsylvania is creating its first group of 11 stakeholder agencies to guide wildlife crossing investments, a move likely to lower vehicle collision insurance claims.
State officials have been discussing at state legislative levels how best Pennsylvania can exercise its stewardship of state-owned land to mutually benefit its residents and wildlife.
Pennsylvania owns 3.9 million acres of managed by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the state Game Commission—including 2.2 million acres of state forest, 1.5 million acres of game land and state parks spanning 295,000 acres.
Increased Federal Funding
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation was awarded a federal grant of $840,000 to help develop a strategic plan for the state’s future wildlife crossings.
The establishment of an interagency group was described by the Gov. Josh Shapiro administration as “an important investment in both roadway safety and conservation” since Pennsylvania ranks fifth nationally for having the most wildlife-vehicle collisions.
“Protecting Pennsylvania’s natural resources and keeping travelers safe go hand in hand,” Mike Carroll, PennDOT Secretary, announced recently. “This new work group will help us make smart, data-driven investments that reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions, improve transportation infrastructure, and protect the habitats that make Pennsylvania special.”
Both PennDOT and DCNR will co-lead the new Pennsylvania Wildlife Connectivity Work Group. Other state agencies are the:
- Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
- departments of agriculture; community and economic development; environmental protection; general services; and insurance
- Fish and Boat Commission
- Game Commission
- Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission
Vehicle collisions with deer in Pennsylvania resulted in 78 fatalities and 2,913 injuries from 2021 to 2025, according to PennDOT crash figures.
Skyrocketing Insurance Claims
Two years ago, deer-related crashes reached a five-year high with 6,426 collisions amid a steady increase in these accidents in recent years.
“By working across agencies, we’re creating a statewide strategy that will better protect wildlife, strengthen our public lands, and help ensure future infrastructure projects support both conservation and community needs,” DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn noted in a recent statement announcing the new group. “Healthy, connected habitats are essential to sustaining Pennsylvania’s wildlife and outdoor recreation economy.”
In 2024, the state Legislative Budget and Finance Committee issued a wildlife corridor report called “The Current Status of Conservation Connectivity in Pennsylvania” to guide lawmakers on how best to support the creation and maintenance of safe habitat wildlife crossings.
That year, Pennsylvania was highlighted by State Farm as having the nation’s highest number of auto insurance claims (more than 150,000 claims) for vehicle collisions with wildlife from July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024.
The legislative report recommended the governor establish a job for someone to work among and between state agencies and independent commissions to direct the state’s wildlife connectivity projects. Another suggestion was for PennDOT to incorporate wildlife crossings into its long-term transportation plans.
Tips for Drivers
The months when drivers are most likely to collide with animals are during October, November and December when animals tend to migrate.
Drivers are advised to be especially careful during morning and evening commutes when more deer are crossing roadways.
“Deer tend to travel in small herds and are most active between sunset and sunrise as they look for food,” PennDot says.
Positive Reactions from Wildlife Advocates
Stephanie Wein, water and conservation advocate at the PennEnvironment Research & Policy Center, said the state has lacked a unified way to address fragmented habitat and wildlife corridors.
“From our bobcat, black bear and elk to our turtles and trout to the millions of songbirds that migrate through the Keystone State every year, Pennsylvania is blessed with extraordinary wildlife. This new interagency approach will help reduce dangerous, costly animal-vehicle collisions, improve habitat for vulnerable native species, reconnect the commonwealth’s many waterways, and improve the health of Pennsylvania’s ecosystems,” Wein noted in a statement.
Echoing these views was Lori Brennan, executive director of The Nature Conservancy in Pennsylvania.
“The more we help nature move, the safer and stronger our communities become,” Brennan stated.
While PennDOT already has created over 30 wildlife crossings, the establishment of the new cohesive group of state agency stakeholders is likely to accelerate building the safe animal passageways and reverse the high collision rate with motorists.