1. A vehicle travel lane monitoring system that monitors non-vehicular objects alongside the travel lane, comprising: at least one sound-receiving/vibration-detecting component alongside the travel lane and that receives sounds from non-vehicular objects on or alongside the travel lane and/or detects vibrations from non-vehicular objects on or alongside the travel lane; a processor coupled to said at least one sound-receiving/vibration-detecting component and that analyzes the sounds and/or vibrations to identify non-speech sounds or vibrations, said processor being further configured to analyze sounds and/or vibrations to identify animals on or alongside the travel lane; and a communications device coupled to said processor that transmits a signal, data or information about analysis by said processor of the identified non-speech sounds and any identified animals on or alongside the travel lane.