In an effort to get to the post office as quickly as possible on Saturday (they close early on Saturdays) I decided to travel via the interstate rather than my normal route through town. In doing so I passed the remains of three dead deer on a five-mile stretch of highway. “UGH!” I thought. “It’s that time of year again.”
And so it is. The period (at least in our state) weeks prior to the opening of gun deer season when displaced deer flee from their natural habitats and plague drivers with the fear that a collision is imminent. (Did I mention how much I despise this time of year?) According to my car insurance company, the average car-deer collision causes about $1500 in damage. In addition, nationally there are thousands of injuries and more than 100 fatalities each year as the result of vehicle collisions with animals.
With that in mind, here are some tips I learned on how to minimize the chances of hitting deer on the highway:
Pay Attention to Deer-Crossing Signs. You don’t see very many deer warning signs in Hawaii (where I grew up), but they are all over Wisconsin highways. Know this: the signs are there for a reason (my aunt and my husband can attest to that… and so can their vehicles). Be aware that deer adapt well to living close to humans and that populated areas are likely to have hungry four-legged creatres darting around this time of year.
Minimize Your Distractions. Take a page from my family’s deer safety guide and focus on the road. Resist distractions from passengers, food, CD players, and cell phones. If your full attention is on the road, you’ll be more likely to spot approaching animals with your peripheral vision.
Use Your High Beams. I’m sure I upset many a driver by doing so, but (in my prior life working out of my home) I had to be at work by 4:00 a.m. and was forced to commute 35 miles on a dark Wisconsin highway (during in the height of deer season)to do so. Needless to say, I drove with my high beams on almost the entire way. High beams will give you more time to spot and react to animals in the road… keeping your speed down helps as well.
You can read more tips in my next blog: Tips for Avoiding Deer–Part 2.