Fear The Deer: Which RI Towns Had The Most Deer-Related Crashes?

NORTH KINGSTOWN, RI — Deer mating season has begun and lasts through early December. And with more deer around means, Rhode Islanders will have to be careful to avoid car crashes involving the animals.

In 2021, there were nearly 1,300 deer-related crashes in Rhode Island, according to data collected by AAA Northeast and the state Department of Environmental Management (DEM). Every city and town in Rhode Island saw at least one car crash involving a deer, according to the data.

The 10 Rhode Island communities with the most deer crashes in 2021 were:

1. North Kingstown — 115 crashes
2. South Kingstown — 99
3. Warwick — 91
4. Tiverton — 72
5. Coventry — 66
6. Lincoln — 64
7. East Greenwich — 59
8. Scituate — 45
9. Narragansett — 44
10. Richmond — 42

"Drivers should always be on the lookout for hazards on the road, but the danger of deer is particularly acute in the fall,"AAA Northeast’s Diana Gugliotta said. "Deer present dangers to themselves, vehicles and vehicle occupants, so it behooves everybody to be vigilant. Crashes with deer can be very costly and even deadly."

AAA offered the following tips for avoiding or mitigating deer crashes:

• Scan the shoulders of the road in front of you; deer may dash out from the shoulder or wooded areas adjacent to the road
• Follow the speed limit; keeping your speed down will give you more time to respond to unexpected wildlife movements
• Be careful rounding curves and climbing hills where visibility is limited
• One long blast on your horn may frighten animals away from your car if you spy them early enough
• If you spy one deer, look out for others. Deer rarely travel alone
• Use your high beams along dark roadways if there is no oncoming traffic
• If a collision is unavoidable, apply the brakes firmly and remain in your lane; swerving sharply can cause an even more serious crash.