Each fall, body shops and automotive repair businesses are in great demand as the deer crash season peaks.
October and November are the mating season for deer, which makes them more active especially at dusk and dawn when they move back and forth between their bedding and feeding areas, according to state officials.
To avoid a collision, drivers must be attentive and cautious at all times, Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) officials advise.
Last year, Wisconsin law enforcement agencies reported a total of 18,176 deer vs. motor vehicle crashes. Dane County had the most reported in 2011 with 846. Shawano County had the second most with 762 followed by Waukesha County with 714.
“To avoid deer crashes, drivers must slow down when they see deer in the area. If you see one deer, there are probably more nearby that could dash in front of your vehicle,” said State Patrol Maj. Sandra Huxtable, director of the Bureau of Transportation Safety.
“If you can’t avoid a deer, it’s safer to hit the brakes and hit the deer than to swerve suddenly and try to miss it. If you swerve, you risk losing control of your vehicle and rolling over or hitting another car or a fixed object, like a tree,” she added.
Motorcyclists must be especially careful because collisions with deer can be fatal to motorcycle drivers and passengers. Motorcycles were involved in four of the five fatal deer versus motor vehicle crashes in 2011, according to Huxtable.
The WisDOT Bureau of Transportation Safety offers the following advice to prevent deer crashes:
• Be on the lookout for deer, eliminate distractions while driving and slow down in early morning and evening hours—the most active time for deer.
• Always wear a safety belt—there are fewer and less severe injuries in vehicle-deer crashes when safety belts are worn.
• If there is a deer by the side of the road, slow down and blow the horn with one long blast to frighten the deer away.
• Where there is one deer, look for another one—deer seldom run alone.
-If you see a deer looming in your headlights, don’t expect the deer to move away—headlights can confuse a deer and cause the animal to freeze.
• Brake firmly when there is a deer in or near a path.
-Do not swerve—it can confuse the deer as to where to run—and cause loss of control and a collision with a tree or another car.
• The one exception to the “don’t swerve” advice applies to motorcyclists. On a motorcycle, slow down, brake firmly and then swerve if necessary to avoid hitting the deer. If swerving is necessary, always try to stay within the lane to avoid hitting other objects.
• If a deer is hit, get the vehicle off the road if possible, and then call a law enforcement agency. Walking on a highway is dangerous, so stay in the vehicle if possible.
• Don’t try to move the animal if it is still alive. The injured deer could cause harm.
