Scarier Than Halloween… or a Movie

They come out of nowhere. They stand by the roadside and stare as you approach. They are unpredictable.

That’s right, it’s mating season for our local deer population. We have just entered the three months of biggest concerns; October, November and December. Nearly 55% of the deer-vehicle crashes in the Commonwealth occur in these months – making up 3,265 of the 5,990 yearly crashes.

According to a 2016 State Farm report, Virginia has the 13th highest rate in the nation for deer-vehicle collisions. The odds of a Virginian having a claim due to this are 1 out of 94. Our good friends in West Virginia are ranked #1, Maryland #25 and DC is #46.

Deer are very active just before dawn through mid-morning and then again at dusk to early evening. A few tips to stay safe:

• Always wear your seatbelt.
• Slow down and be extra attentive when driving at dawn and dusk.
• Watch for shining eyes along the road. Deer don’t travel alone. If you see one, you may see several others.
  If you are going to hit a deer, don’t swerve out of your lane and take your foot off the brake at time of impact to lessen the likelihood of deer going through the windshield.

Like the sergeant in the old police TV show used to say, “Let’s be careful out there”.