Evaluation of an active wildlife-sensing and driver warning system at Trapper’s Point.

Dai, Qiyue; Young, Rhonda; Vander Giessen, Steven · 2009 · ROSA P / Wyoming. Department of Transportation

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Summary

This report evaluates the effectiveness of an active wildlife-sensing and driver warning system installed by the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) at Trapper’s Point on US Highway 191. The study addresses the safety concern of vehicle-wildlife collisions, which are a significant issue on American highways. The system, utilizing the Eagle Intrusion Detection System (EIDS) originally developed for military applications, aims to detect large game via seismic and passive infrared sensors and trigger flashing lights on six roadside signs reading “DEER ON ROAD WHEN FLASHING.” The research objectives were to assess the reliability of wildlife detection, determine the system’s impact on driver behavior, and evaluate its effect on crash reduction rates. The study covered the period from August 2006 to December 2008, involving extensive documentation of system modifications and maintenance challenges encountered in the harsh Wyoming weather. Data collection included reviewing digital video recorder (DVR) footage to verify detection accuracy, using Wavetronix SmartSensor HD units to monitor vehicle speeds, and analyzing historical crash data. The researchers compared system activation logs against visual evidence to calculate false positive and false negative rates. They also correlated average vehicle speeds with the frequency of sign activations and performed before-and-after analyses of crash frequencies and rates, adjusting for traffic volume and wildlife herd population estimates provided by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. The findings revealed significant technical limitations. While the system demonstrated a low rate of false negatives (zero in 2007 and less than 20% in spring 2008), it suffered from a very high rate of false positives, exceeding 95% in analyzed periods. This high false alarm rate likely undermined driver trust. Regarding driver behavior, the system had a greater effect on reducing speeds during earlier data collection periods, but the correlation between system activations and speed reduction was weak overall. Crash analysis showed that animal-vehicle crashes fluctuated between one and three per year. Although crash rates per million vehicle miles traveled showed a slight downward trend, statistical testing indicated no significant difference in crash rates before and after the system’s installation in 2005, even after accounting for changes in wildlife populations. The study concludes that the existing system is not effective in its current state without a dedicated maintenance commitment, as it will continue to decline in performance. The high rate of false positives and lack of statistically significant crash reduction suggest that the technology requires substantial refinement or alternative approaches. The authors recommend several future actions, including operating the system only during migration periods, reducing the scale of detection zones, removing geophones in favor of infrared sensors only, or exploring alternative technologies such as wildlife underpasses or overpasses. The report emphasizes that any future decision must consider the high maintenance requirements and the need for reliable detection to ensure driver compliance.

Key finding

The wildlife detection system exhibited a false positive rate of 95% or greater and produced no statistically significant reduction in animal-vehicle crash rates compared to pre-installation periods.

Methodology

field_study

Provenance

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Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-10; verification: verified.

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