An Analysis of the Reduction of Animal-Vehicle Collisions as a Result of Washington State COVID-19 "Stay at Home" Orders
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An Analysis of the Reduction of Animal-Vehicle Collisions as a Result of Washington State COVID-19 "Stay at Home" Orders
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Traffic volume saw an overall reduction of 20% across the entire state of Washington between April, the start of the COVID-19 “Stay at Home” order, and December 2020. The largest single reduction, of 38%, can be seen during from the start of the order during the week of April 26, 2020. Smaller reductions in traffic volume were seen during June, bottoming out at an 11% reduction in traffic volume. All counties saw reductions in traffic volume during the overall time period, with King County seeing the greatest reduction at 25%, and Spokane county seeing the smallest reduction at 6%. Overall, Animal-Vehicle Collisions (AVCs) decreased 18% in total for all animals. This also held true for deer, which account for a majority of AVCs (59% from 2015 - 2019). However, there were too many confounding factors in both human and animal behavior to make it possible for us to infer direct causation. This was highlighted by the fact that the direction and magnitude of these changes were not consistent between different types of animals. Work-from-home as the norm for certain professional fields would likely see a long-term reduction in AVCs, especially for deer. As many private and public offices grapple with the decision of whether or not to bring employees back to in-person work, AVCs and the loss of life and money associated with them should be considered. This potential long term reduction in AVCs for deer may also lead to a boom in deer population, which should continue to be monitored long term. Regardless of how widespread work-from-home becomes, traffic volume inevitably increased as businesses and recreational activities resumed. For this reason, it may be a good time to build more wildlife crossing structures, wildlife fencing, and crossing signs to reduce the potential future increases in AVCs.
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November 2024
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Raquel Sadé Sejour
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Sejour, Raquel_MES Thesis_Fall 2024
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