Many　highway　bridges　were　severely　damaged　or　completely　collapsed　during　the　2008　Wenchuan　earthquake.　A　field　investigation　was　carried　out　in　the　strongly　affected　areas　and　over　320　bridges　were　examined.　Damage　to　some　representative　highway　bridges　is　briefly　described　and　a　preliminary　analysis　of　the　probable　causes　of　the　damage　is　presented　in　this　paper.　The　most　common　damage　included　shear-flexural　failure　of　the　pier　columns,　expansion　joint　failure,　shear　key　failure,　and　girder　sliding　in　the　transversal　or　longitudinal　directions　due　to　weak　connections　between　girder　and　bearings.　Lessons　learned　from　this　earthquake　are　described　and　recommendations　related　to　the　design　of　curved　and　skewed　bridges,　design　of　bearings　and　devices　to　prevent　girder　collapse,　and　ductility　of　bridge　piers　are　presented.　Suggestions　for　future　seismic　design　and　retrofitting　techniques　for　bridges　in　moderate　to　severe　earthquake　areas　are　also　proposed.