The full moon’s effect on Earth isn’t limited to tides—it may also increase the risk of wildlife-vehicle collisions.
A recent study from Texas A&M University reveals that wildlife collisions with vehicles rise by 45.8% on nights with a full moon, compared to nights with no moonlight.
This research, led by former Texas A&M student Kentaro Iio and Professor Dominique Lord, analyzed 10 years of collision data across Texas.
They compared full-moon nights to new-moon nights, focusing on wildlife collisions.
Interestingly, collisions not involving wildlife showed no such increase, highlighting the specific impact of bright moonlit nights on wildlife-vehicle accidents.
The findings suggest that drivers need to be especially cautious on full moon nights, particularly in areas where wildlife is common. This research could also lead to changes in transportation policies, encouraging new safety measures to reduce the risk of accidents during bright moonlit nights.
“I compared really dark nights without moon illumination (new moon) to really dark nights with full moon illumination,” said Iio. Including other moon phases in the study was avoided, as they could appear at different times of the night, complicating comparisons.
Similar studies from countries like Spain, Canada, and Lithuania have shown that full moon nights tend to result in more wildlife-vehicle collisions.
The researchers suggest that a combination of factors—such as driver fatigue and increased wildlife activity at night—may contribute to the rise in accidents during the full moon. Further research from experts in transportation and animal behavior could provide more insight.
Although the full moon provides better visibility at night, Dr. Lord pointed out that it still doesn’t compare to daytime lighting, and drivers may not be as alert as they would be during the day.
The study also analyzed different regions of Texas, comparing wildlife-vehicle collisions in both rural and urban areas. It found that rural areas experienced a much higher increase in collisions on full moon nights, with the increase ranging from 57.8% to 125% in regions like the High Plains, South Texas, Central Texas, and Upper East Texas. The Texas capital region was the only area to show a slightly lower risk during a full moon, but this difference was not statistically significant.
The researchers believe that urban areas might have lower collision rates because of factors like light pollution and lower wildlife density, which reduce the effect of moonlight. However, the study didn’t explore the impact of specific wildlife species or the varying brightness of the moon in different areas.
In the future, experts could explore solutions like adding more lighting in rural areas, installing wildlife warning reflectors along highways, or increasing emergency services during full moon nights. These measures could help reduce the risk of collisions and save lives—both human and animal.
