The Human Side of Roadkill: Accidents, Injuries, & Real Costs

When we talk about wildlife-vehicle collisions, it’s easy to focus only on the animals. But behind every crash involving an animal is a ripple of consequences for people — from car repairs and medical bills to trauma, lost time, and even loss of life. Understanding the human side of roadkill helps strengthen the case for safer roads — for animals and us.

Every year in the United States, there are an estimated 1 to 2 million collisions between vehicles and large animals like deer, elk, or moose. The vast majority—around 95.4%—of these collisions result in property damage only, with no human injury. But that still leaves a non-negligible fraction that do cause harm.

In terms of loss of life, crashes with animals kill ~200 people each year in the U.S. Some data sets report that collisions with animals accounted for 235 deaths in 2023. Meanwhile, injuries number in the tens of thousands: around 26,000 people are hurt annually in animal-vehicle crashes.

The financial toll is huge. When you combine property damage, medical costs, lost wages, insurance claims, and emergency response costs, the total bill runs into the billions of dollars annually. Some estimates place it at more than $8 billion in the U.S. Others suggest that with broader accounting it might exceed $10 billion when all indirect costs are added.

One helpful way to see this is to look at average collision cost: the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) calculated that the average wildlife-vehicle collision (AVC) — including vehicle damage, injuries, and fatalities — costs about $6,126. In collisions that involve only property damage (the majority), the average is around $2,451.

And when it comes to specific animals, the costs rise. According to a highway mitigation/cost review, a deer-vehicle collision might average $6,617, while collisions with moose can average as much as $30,769, due to more severe damage and risk. In another review, the cost of a deer-vehicle collision is sometimes cited at ~$8,190; elk ~$25,319; moose ~$44,546 (based on a particular study’s calculations).

Human Costs at a Glance

• 1–2 million wildlife-vehicle collisions annually in the U.S.

• 200+ deaths and 26,000 injuries every year

• Average cost per collision: $6,126

• Deer collisions average $6,600; moose collisions can exceed $30,000–$40,000

• Total U.S. cost: $8–10+ billion annually

• Odds of hitting an animal: 1 in 128 (U.S. drivers overall); in Michigan: 1 in 61

Beyond dollars and physical injury, crashes with animals can leave psychological scars. Drivers may feel guilt, shock, or distress after hitting an animal — even if no person is hurt. Some experience post-traumatic reactions, especially when they realize the animal was injured and left behind. Additionally, the disruption matters: time lost in accidents, towing, repair, insurance claims, and delays can affect work, family, and community routines.

There’s also the odds to keep in mind. According to State Farm, the probability of a U.S. driver hitting an animal in a given year is roughly 1 in 128. Because deer are the most frequently struck animal, they dominate both crash numbers and costs. In fact, in recent years, insurers have recorded ~1.8 million animal-collision claims in the U.S. in a 12-month period.

One more example to bring it closer to home: Michigan is now ranked No. 4 among U.S. states for animal collision claims. In a recent 12-month period, Michigan drivers filed ~126,000 claims, with deer accounting for over 1.1 million incidents of animal collisions nationwide in that same period. In Michigan, the chance of hitting an animal was estimated at 1 in 61.

All this points to a sobering fact: safer roads aren’t just about helping animals—they’re essential infrastructure for human safety and economic stability. For communities, reducing collisions means fewer injuries, lower repair costs, less stress on emergency systems, and a more peaceful coexistence with wildlife.

In upcoming posts, I’ll dig into which road features and behaviors most increase risk, technologies and design measures that reduce collisions, and what you as a driver can do to keep yourself and wildlife safer.

For the Wild

Sources

• Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). Wildlife Vehicle Collision Study.

• Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Fatality Statistics: Collisions with Fixed Objects and Animals.

• Pew Charitable Trusts. Wildlife-Vehicle Collisions Are a Big and Costly Problem.

• U.S. Department of Transportation. Biden-Harris Administration Awards Grants to Improve Safety.

• Highway Wilding Project. Wildlife-Vehicle Conflict: Costs.

• Large Landscapes Conservation. Cost Estimates of Wildlife-Vehicle Conflicts and Mitigation.

• Insurance Information Institute (III). Facts & Statistics: Deer-Vehicle Collisions.

• State Farm Insurance. Animal Collision Claims Report.

• OurMidland News (Michigan). Michigan Ranks 4th for Animal Collisions.