Deer are on the roadways more during the fall into early winter due to the hunting and mating seasons. They also tend to travel more during times when it is tougher to see them, at dawn and at dusk.
Historically, most crashes came in the evening between 5 p.m. and midnight. In addition to being the time when deer are more likely to be moving about and crossing roads, it is when decreased driver visibility makes it more difficult to see the animals on or near roadways.
Follow these tips to avoid being in a deer-vehicle crash:
- Slow down in posted deer crossing areas and heavily wooded areas, especially during the late afternoon and evening;
- Always wear your seat belt. Most people injured in deer-vehicle crashes were not wearing their seat belt;
- Statistics indicate most deer-vehicle crashes occur in areas where deer are more likely to travel, such as near bridges or overpasses, railroad tracks, streams and ditches;
- Drive with high beams on when possible, and watch for eyes reflecting in the headlights;
- Remember that deer often travel in groups, so do not assume that if you see one deer cross the road in front of you, there won’t be others following;
- Slow down and blow your horn with one long blast to frighten the deer away;
- Increase the distance between your vehicle and other cars, especially at night. If the car ahead of you hits a deer, you may also become involved in the crash;
- Do not swerve to avoid a collision with deer. This could cause you to lose control of your vehicle, flipping it over, veering it into oncoming traffic or overcorrecting and running off the road, causing a more serious crash;
- Do not rely on devices such as deer whistles, deer fences or reflectors to deter deer as these devices have not been proven to reduce deer-vehicle crashes; and
- If your vehicle strikes a deer, do not touch the animal. A frightened and wounded deer can hurt you or further injure itself. The best procedure is to get your car off the road if possible, and call 911.
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