I live in a highly populated deer area.  In fact, this begins the time of year when I begin to see them most.  When I’m pulling out of my driveway or coming home in the evening hours, caution is key.  Last year, my son who lives on the other side of town, was making his way to my place, took the corner at a slow speed and saw no less than five deer cut right in front of him. Had he been going fast or not paying attention, the possibility he would have hit one would have been great.  Tragically, my son’s friend lost her life in a deervehicle collision this time of year back in 2002, so this is something we take very seriously. 

In 2006, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that deer-vehicle accidents numbered over 1 million each year, causing numerous deaths and over 1 billion dollars in damages.  The NHTSA also reports that deer-vehicle collisions are much more frequent during the fall and winter months due to deer migration and the mating season, which typically occurs from October through December.

The top 10 worst states for deer collisions are Illinois, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Virginia, Georgia, Minnesota, Texas, Indiana and South Carolina.

Please be safe and follow these handy tips which could help avoid vehicle-deer collisions:

1. Buckle Up
Make sure to wear your seat belt.

2. There’s Always More Than One
Typically, if you see one deer, there are more to follow, so proceed with caution.  Remember deer usually travel in a herd and seldom alone. 

3. Take Caution on Two-Lane Roads
Deer are most prevalent on the side of a two-lane road.  Take extra caution when driving these roads during evening and early morning hours in the fall and early winter months.  It’s a good idea to turn the vehicle’s hazard lights on to make other motorists aware that there are deer ahead.

4. Heed Deer Crossing Signs
When you see a deer crossing sign, remember it’s placed at that location for a reason and means deer are prevalent in that particular area.  If you notice any deer, especially if they are close to the road, slow down as much as possible and proceed with expert caution.   Sometimes sounding your horn can startle the animal and cause it to dart into the road or straight into traffic, so if you must sound the horn, do so quickly.

5. Avoid Swerving
Statistics show that when most drivers swerve to avoid hitting deer, they hit another object instead, such as a tree or another vehicle.

6. Hitting a Deer
Unfortunately and in some cases, hitting a deer can be unavoidable. Ideally, what you want to do is prevent the deer from landing on the hood of the vehicle and slamming into your windshield.  Should the animal make contact with the windshield, there’s a good chance it will smash right through, causing the driver to lose control of the vehicle, resulting in serious injury and in some cases, even death to the driver and passengers.

When hitting a deer seems unavoidable, try to think fast and be aware of the situation.  Experts advise braking up until the very last second of impact, then releasing the brakes, which should propel the deer away from your vehicle instead of on to the hood or windshield.

All vehicle-deer collisions must be reported to the police as soon as possible. In the event that the deer is alive but injured, avoid all contact and move away, keeping a good distance from the animal.

Tags: Advice, General, Guides // 2 Comments »