The North Carolina Department of Transportation reports that from 2019 to 2021, there have been 171 crashes, 5 people have been injured and damages totaling $563,300 in Macon County due to deer strikes. Statewide during the same time period, there have been 59,837 crashes, 11 of them fatal to motorists, 2,693 total injuries, and $173,522,686 in damages due to deer strikes.
About half of those crashes occur in October, November, and December, but no month is free of deer strikes.
How to Avoid Striking a Deer (Consumer Reports)
See the article that goes with the above video at https://www.consumerreports.org/car-safety/how-to-avoid-collisions-with-deer-this-fall-a2981072345/
Below (after the sponsor segment) are important tips from various expert sources regarding animal (usually deer) crashes:
North Carolina Department of Transportation:
• Always maintain a safe amount of distance between your vehicle and others, especially at night. If the vehicle ahead of you hits a deer, you could also become involved in the crash.
• Slow down in areas posted with deer crossing signs and in heavily wooded areas, especially during the late afternoon and evening.
• Most deer-vehicle crashes occur where deer are more likely to travel, near bridges or overpasses, railroad tracks, streams and ditches.
• Drive with high beams on when possible and watch for deer eyes reflecting in the headlights.
• Deer often travel in small herds so if you see one deer near a road be alert for others. If you see deer near a road, slow down and blow your horn with one long blast
• Do not swerve to avoid a collision. This could cause you to lose control of your vehicle and cause a more serious crash.
• If your vehicle does strike a deer, do not touch the animal. A frightened and wounded deer can be dangerous or further injure itself. Get your vehicle off the road, if possible, and call 911.
More from the North Carolina Department of Transportation at https://www.ncdot.gov/initiatives-policies/safety/driving-safety/Pages/deer-collisions.aspx
North Carolina Wildlife:
The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission recognizes the growing problems with deer-related accidents in our state. As both human and deer populations continue to grow, some of these accidents are unavoidable. Here are some steps that may help a motorist avoid many of these accidents:
• Deer are most active near daylight and dusk and on dark, overcast or foggy nights. Motorists should reduce their speed during these times, especially in areas known to be frequented by deer.
• Drive with headlights on high beam when possible. Watch for eyes reflecting in your lights, especially at field edges or posted deer crossing areas. If you see deer, immediately reduce your speed, even though the deer may be a considerable distance from the road.
• Your headlights may cause them to panic and run at any time.
• If you see a deer cross the road in front of you, don't assume that all is clear. Deer often travel in groups and one will often cross right behind the other.
• Don't place your confidence in "deer whistles" or other "ultra-sonic" devices claiming to prevent deer collisions. We are aware of no scientific evidence that these devices are effective.
• Support legal and ethical hunting as a means of keeping deer numbers at levels where they can be enjoyed by all.
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Published at 2:12pm on Thursday, February 02, 2023
Author: Bobby Coggins
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