Accidents involving wildlife can be just as dangerous or worse than those involving other vehicles. If you hit a big animal, it could cause total damage to your vehicle. There is also the potential for other vehicles to become involved. For example, if you hit a deer, it could flip in the air and hit another vehicle, or another vehicle may swerve into your lane trying to avoid a deer in the roadway.
The fall is the most dangerous time for deer-vehicle collisions. Not only do you need to watch out for the deer, but you also need to keep an eye on other vehicles and react properly should someone on the road near you hit an animal.
Why is fall so dangerous?
There is a good reason why fall seems to bring an increase in deer-vehicle accidents. This time of year is mating season. Male deer have such a surge of hormones they become super focused on chasing females. They no longer pay attention to what is happening around them, which means they are more likely to run into traffic. And females are trying to get away. Essentially, they are running just as wildly to get away from the crazed bucks.
What should you do?
What this means for you is that if you see a deer near the road, you cannot count on it not randomly entering the roadway. You also need to be alert and watch out for animals in areas where they typically live. For example, wooded areas are likely to be a spot where a deer may run out in front of you.
If driving at night or early morning before the sun comes up, you have to be especially careful. A good trick is to watch for the glow of the eyes. A deer’s eyes will catch your headlights and give you a warning long before you can actually see the animal.
Hitting a deer will usually cause some damage. In some cases, a collision can be incredibly severe, so it is best to drive carefully and avoid these animals.
