Vessel strikes are a major threat facing large whales globally, and we are examining how the distribution, habitat use, and behavior of whales along with patterns of shipping traffic combine to influence vessel strike in large whales. A recent analysis highlighted the role of vessel strikes as a driver of humpback whale mortality, in contrast to recent media reports purporting a link with offshore wind development. Ongoing work in this area is assessing changes to vessel strike risk over a 14 year period along the eastern seabird of the US using AIS data from ships and habitat models of large whales. In addition, we are integrating modeling studies of large whale behavior to better understand how factors such as age class (juvenile vs. adult) and water depth influence the risk of vessel strike, and to better incorporate these factors into models of vessel strike risk.