Motorist Caution Urged

During Deer Activity Period

Police are advising motorists to drive with caution in view of increased deer activity in the area now that the deer mating season has started.

Also at this time of year, the pressure put on deer by hunters, who are pursuing deer, and by farmers, who are harvesting crops, causes deer to travel more, meaning that deer cross roads more often and become involved in more collisions with motor vehicles.

Typically vehicular accidents involving deer increase starting in mid-October, peak around the second week of November, and drop off after December 15, according to police.

Locally, police typically annually receive about 100 reports of vehicular accidents involving deer.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), each year there are about 150 human fatalities and more than 10,000 personal injuries, plus $1 billion in vehicular damage, in the 1.5 million accidents involving deer. The NHTSA estimates that the actual number of deer-related accidents is higher, considering the lack of a consistent national method of reporting deer accidents.

Police are offering drivers some tips on how to avoid collisions with deer.

*Be attentive while driving and slow down.

*Use high-beam headlamps while driving through deer territory to increase night vision and to increase the time available to react to deer hiding at the roadside who decide to jump in front of approaching vehicles.

*Vehicle-mounted “deer whistles,” which are used a deer deterrent by some motorists, do not appear to be effective and may result in drivers becoming less aware of the presence of deer.

Police advise that if a collision with a deer is unavoidable, it is usually best not to swerve to avoid the collision. Instead, drivers should brake and hold their steering wheel straight.

Swerving to avoid a deer may result in an even worse collision with another vehicle or cause the vehicle to spin out of control resulting in a serious crash, according to police.