Calving season brings surge in elk near highways; CSP to enforce speed limits in high-risk areas

Summer in Colorado isn’t just hiking season — it’s also calving season. And that means a surge of wildlife near mountain roads just as vacation traffic picks up.

The Colorado State Patrol (CSP) is ramping up enforcement efforts across the Western Slope this June to prevent dangerous — and often costly — collisions between vehicles and animals. Troopers will be out in force each Saturday in June, aiming to slow speeds and raise driver awareness in some of the state’s most wildlife-heavy corridors.

The message is simple, but urgent: Watch for wildlife. Especially elk. And especially at dawn and dusk.

Troopers Brace for Calving Season Spike

According to CSP, elk calving peaks in June and July — right when more families are heading to the mountains for summer adventures. And while the scenery may be breathtaking, the risks are very real.

In 2024 alone, CSP responded to 3,573 crashes involving animals. These weren’t just minor fender-benders. Animal-involved collisions ranked as the third most common contributing factor in all traffic crashes — including fatal and injury-causing incidents.

“People think of wildlife crashes as rare, but they’re surprisingly common in Colorado,” said Trooper Lewis Raymond, a spokesperson for CSP’s Western District. “They tend to increase around this time of year, especially in mountainous and rural zones.”

That’s why CSP is focusing on targeted weekend enforcement, particularly in areas known for frequent elk crossings.

The Danger Hides in Plain Sight

It happens fast. One second you’re cruising down I-70 or Highway 50. The next, an elk — or worse, an entire herd — is in your headlights.

“They blend into the scenery,” Raymond said. “And if you’re not alert or if you’re speeding, you may not have enough time to react.”

To improve driver safety, CSP is promoting a list of wildlife-avoidance tips from the group Wild Aware:

CSP & Wild Aware Tips for Drivers

• Scan shoulders of the road for movement or “eye shine” at night

• Use high beams when safe to do so — more visibility means better reaction time

• Flash headlights to warn oncoming traffic of wildlife ahead

• Do not honk at animals near the road — it may startle them into traffic

• If animals are already in the road, stop fully and use hazard lights

• Stick to the speed limit — it gives you more time to react

“These aren’t just recommendations,” Raymond said. “They could literally prevent a fatal crash.”

A Deadly and Expensive Risk

Animal collisions aren’t just dangerous — they’re expensive.

Data from the Rocky Mountain Insurance Information Association shows the average vehicle damage cost from wildlife collisions in Colorado exceeds $4,000 per incident. That figure doesn’t include injuries, medical costs, or the cost of a totaled vehicle.

And large animals like elk or deer can cause devastating rollovers or chain-reaction crashes — especially when drivers swerve suddenly.

“If you swerve to miss an animal and hit another car or a tree, you may walk away in worse shape than if you hit the animal head-on,” Raymond noted. “We don’t recommend hard swerving unless you’re absolutely certain it’s safe.”

Instead, CSP advises slowing down and braking in a straight line — even if that means a collision is inevitable.

It’s Not Just Elk: Other Hazards on the Road

While elk get the most attention during calving season, mule deer, pronghorn, and even bears are often spotted along highways in parts of western Colorado.

Each animal poses different risks.

• Elk are large and slow-moving. Hitting one can crush a windshield or cave in a roof.

• Deer move in groups and tend to panic-run, making their movements unpredictable.

• Pronghorn are lightning fast — often darting onto roads with little warning.

• Bears can be hard to see at night and may remain on the road longer than other animals.

“The bottom line is, anytime you’re in a rural or wooded area, you need to be alert,” said CSP Trooper Katrina Nielsen. “Assume wildlife is near — because it probably is.”

What To Do If You Hit an Animal

CSP reminds motorists that hitting wildlife isn’t just a mechanical issue — it’s an emergency.

“If you’re involved in or witness a wildlife crash, call 911,” Nielsen said. “We treat it the same as any other major crash.”

Even if there are no injuries, reporting the incident helps CSP and the Colorado Department of Transportation track high-risk areas. In some locations, this data is used to justify wildlife crossings or fencing projects.

In recent years, wildlife underpasses — such as those installed along State Highway 9 in Summit County — have dramatically reduced animal crashes. But many rural areas still lack those protections.

Slow Down, Save Lives

As summer unfolds across the Western Slope, CSP hopes enforcement operations — and public awareness — will help reduce crashes and save both human and animal lives.

“Our best weapon is prevention,” said Raymond. “We can’t stop elk from crossing the road. But we can get drivers to slow down and pay attention.”

With over 3,500 wildlife crashes in a single year, the stakes are high. And as vacationers hit the road, CSP urges Coloradans to do what they can to keep the highways safe — for everyone who uses them.

Category: News
Transportation / Wildlife Safety

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