Potential for deer crashes will be high in coming weeks

September 27, 2007

Deer will be more prevalent and their movements less predictable along Wisconsin roadways in coming weeks, so drivers will need to be extraordinarily cautious and vigilant to prevent crashes, Wisconsin State Patrol officials warn.

During the mating season or "rut" in October and November, deer are more active, especially at dusk and dawn when they move to and from their bedding and feeding areas. As a result, more deer will be darting onto highways in coming weeks.

Deer are the third most commonly struck object in Wisconsin traffic crashes (behind collisions with another vehicle or a fixed object). According to figures from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, law enforcement agencies reported a total of 17,878 deer-vehicle crashes in 2006. Dane County had the most motor vehicle-deer crashes reported last year with 956 followed by Waupaca County with 689. Shawano County was third with 686 deer hits, which was more than half of all reported crashes in the county. A report recently released by State Farm Insurance estimated that Wisconsin has the sixth highest number of vehicle collisions with deer in the nation. Pennsylvania is number one for deer hits, followed by Michigan, New York, Ohio and Illinois based on insurance industry projections.

"To avoid deer crashes, drivers must slow down when they see deer nearby. If you see one deer, there are probably more nearby that could dash in front of your vehicle," says Dennis Hughes, manager of safety programs for the State Patrol 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 tree."

Hughes emphasizes that motorcyclists must be especially careful because collisions with deer can be fatal. Motorcycles were involved in five of the seven fatal deer-vehicle crashes in Wisconsin in 2006.

The State Patrol Bureau of Transportation Safety offers the following advice for avoiding collisions with deer:

• Be vigilant, drive cautiously and slow down in early morning and evening hours-the most active time for deer.
• Pay attention to deer crossing signs.
• Always wear your safety belt-there are fewer and less severe injuries in vehicle-deer crashes when safety belts are worn.
• If you see a deer by the side of the road, slow down and blow your horn with one long blast to frighten the deer away.
•  When you see 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 you notice a deer in or near your path.
• Do not swerve-it can confuse the deer as to where to run.
  • It can also cause you to lose control and hit a tree or another car.
  • The one exception is if you are riding a motorcycle. In this case, you should slow down, break firmly and then swerve if necessary to avoid hitting the deer. If you must swerve, always try to stay within the lane to avoid hitting other objects.
• If you hit a deer, stay in your vehicle and do not touch the animal if it is still alive.
  • While trying to move, the injured deer could hurt you or itself.
  • Walking or stopping on the highway is very dangerous-you could be hit by an oncoming vehicle.
  • The best advice is to get your vehicle off the road if possible, and then call a law enforcement agency.

For more information, contact:
Dennis Hughes
(608) 267-9075, dennis.hughes@dot.state.wi.us