A Deer in the Headlights

It's that time of year again where collisions are all too common between vehicles and deer. Between the deer population seeking out more living space due to humans encroaching on them and the increase of male deer activity between October through December with mating season - the chance of your car being in an accident with a deer is highly possible.
So what can you do to potentially avoid such collisions? Here are some suggestions from various professionals:
1.    Watch Forested Areas - Deer live in forests, there is no way around it. If you are driving through their territory you need to be extra cautious. Deer cross roads for a wide variety of reasons and at different times of the year. Often they are moving around their habitat. Even if you are familiar with a roadway and haven't seen deer crossing it, know that deer can change their migration patterns. When driving through forested areas, watch both sides of the roads for any signs of wildlife, signs of movement, flashes of eyes or body shapes.

2.    Drive at a safe speed - Keeping your speed down while driving through places you know there will be deer will help you come to a quicker stop and possibly brake as well as possibly avoid hitting the deer in the first place. Wildlife experts have recommended 55 mph as a suitable speed for wildlife zones in good weather conditions, as it provides you with some reaction time to stop. Of course, in blizzards, heavy rain and other difficult weather, you should adjust your speed to the distance you are able to see and to take into account the amount of ice on the road.

3.    Drive defensively - Being on the lookout for deer as well as being prepared to take evasive action such as quickly slowing down or braking is important. Make sure your seat belt is on and check that all passengers are wearing theirs as well. A sudden lurch could have people catapulting from the car.

4.    Drive More Cautiously At Sunset, Sunrise and At Night - Deer and moose seem to move most in the hours around sunset to midnight and again around dawn. These are also the hardest times for our eyes to adjust to the light (it's neither completely dark nor properly light), so we find it more difficult to see well. At night, use your high beams when possible as it will help illuminate more of the area that you are traveling through.

While avoiding an accident with a deer could be impossible, there are some things you can do if you encounter one. First, try not to instinctively swerve or leave your lane if a deer jumps out in front of you. If you suddenly have a deer before your car, brake firmly. Swerving can result in colliding with another drive in the opposite lane. Try to skim rather than fully impact the animal. When braking, angle your car/truck and take your foot off the brake as you impact. The release of the brake will cause slight lift of the vehicle and this may be enough to stop the animal from rising into your windshield if your vehicle is tall enough.

If you see one deer cross in front of you, know there are probably more to come. Deer travel in herds. Be cautious also around waterways that intersect with the road such as creeks, swamps, and wetlands. The road is an easy pathway out of these waterways for an animal, so there is a higher possibility that they may be around them.
It may be that time of year for the deer to show up in abundance but with a little caution, you can help yourself avoid an accident.