salt lake city — Traffic accidents are common here in Utah, but the Wildlife Resources Agency says it knows more about where they happen the most thanks to the smartphone app Utah Roadkill Reporter. Masu.
This is important because DWR can use that information to find high-traffic zones, or areas with high animal traffic.
DWR’s goal is, of course, to make our roads safer, and we are partnering with the Utah Department of Transportation to better respond to road hazards.
Nearly 4,000 animal collisions have been reported since the app was launched last December. Most of them are deer related. But biologists are also surprised by other new invasive species, including badgers and bobcats.
DWR spokeswoman Faith Heaton-Jolly said reports of attacks on thousands of animals now have a clearer picture thanks to an app introduced to eliminate road accidents faster. He explained that it is useful for
“The more reports we get, the more data we can collect,” Jolly said.
“This also helps us know where they are traveling on the roads quite frequently,” Jolly said. “And that helps us because we can potentially take that information and partner with UDOT to build some type of intersection.”
“There are other animals for which we don’t have a lot of data,” Jolly said. “How many people are being affected, where are they crossing roads, some of their movement patterns. So a lot of this information will be very useful to biologists.”
The app uses your phone’s GPS to easily find your location. Always report safely, not while driving, of course.
It’s not a very pleasant thought, but the animal you accidentally kill today could save someone else’s life in the future.
“That is, if there are more wildlife conflicts occurring in certain areas than others,” Jolly said. Some of these cases provide the most benefit and are often cost-effective. ”
This type of information is already being used to write grants to fund projects such as intersections.
Within the app, you can easily tell DWR where you are and what animal you hit. Photos can also be taken, allowing DWR to more easily locate and pick up the scene.
DWR and UDOT encourage people to continue reporting these incidents to not only make our roads safer, but also to help clear roads in areas frequented by wildlife for years to come.