If you drive on Pennsylvania roadways, consider yourself warned. We are currently in the month in which deer-related collisions are most likely to occur. October through December is high season for run-ins with deer, and November is the busiest month of all for accidents that can be deadly to deer and humans alike. Because of this, the Pennsylvania Insurance Department has warned Pennsylvania motorists to keep a wary eye for wayward deer, and the warning holds true for anyone who lives in an area with a deer population.
While most deer collisions are not severe enough to injure people seriously, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation data shows that more than 3,100 people were injured and 43 others died in the more than 14,000 deer-related crashes reported to the agency in the state between 2006 and 2010. Pennsylvania is a hotbed of collisions caused by deer.
To reduce your risk of striking a deer while behind the wheel, you might want to follow these tips:
- Drive with caution in areas known for having large deer populations and in areas where roads divide fields and forests. These are typical deer hangouts.
- Select major, well-lit routes if there are alternative routes to travel. Deer don’t generally like heavy traffic or divided highways.
- Allow adequate braking space between your car and the car ahead of you in case a deer leaps out into the road.
- Use your high-beam lights when possible to maximize your field of view. This is less valuable during the daytime, but it can prevent deer from looking like, well, deer in headlights.
- Look out for multiple deer running in a herd. Deer are very social animals, so whenever you see one deer, it’s likely that there are others nearby.
- Always wear your seatbelt. Most people injured in deer-related crashes were not wearing their seat belts.
