'Oh, Deer,' Police Issue Tips To Avoid Hitting Our Forest Neighbors

NORTH CASTLE, NY — If you've noticed that deer are especially active in the late fall and early winter, you're not alone.

The probability of striking a deer rises greatly between the months of October and December.

There are times when hitting a deer can be unavoidable, but the North Castle Police Department offers some advice on avoiding an unexpected close encounter with nature.

• Slow down. Watch for deer, especially around dawn and between the hours of 6 p.m. and 9 p.m., when they’re most active.
• Be aware. Look out for deer-crossing signs and wooded areas where animals are likely to travel. If you travel the same route to and from work every day, you may find deer consistently grazing in the same fields. Make a mental note of when and where you regularly see the animals.
• Be alert. If you see an animal on the side of the road, slow down. At night when traffic permits, put on your high beams for improved visibility.
• Brake, don’t swerve. Swerving to avoid an animal can put you at risk for hitting another vehicle or losing control of your car. It can also confuse the animal as to which way to go. Instead, just slow down as quickly and safely as you can. Your odds for surviving an accident are better when hitting an animal than when hitting another car.
• Assume they have friends. "Where there’s one, there are usually more" often holds true. Deer travel in groups, so if you see one run across the road, expect others to follow.
• Don’t rely on deer whistles. These are aftermarket devices that some drivers put on their front bumpers to scare off animals. But animal behavior remains unpredictable, even if you use one of these. State Farm advises, "No scientific evidence supports that car-mounted deer whistles work."
• Buckle up. A seat belt is your best defense for minimizing your risk in a crash. An IIHS study found that most of the people killed in animal-vehicle collisions weren’t wearing their seat belts. Motorcycle riders account for more than half the fatalities, and among that group, nearly half the riders who died were not wearing helmets.