EDITORIAL: Watch our for deer, especially now

Published 9:03 am Tuesday, October 15, 2024

The weather is changing, the leaves are turning and the days are getting shorter.

As we begin to “fall back” for daylight savings time, rush hour for most commuters tends to fall during the same hours in which white-tailed deer are most active — at dawn and dusk.

It seems that few deer have access to a calendar because even now, early in the month, they are scurrying about in large numbers. For hunters, such a sight builds anticipation. For others — especially drivers — it can stop us cold.

In Georgia, deer are involved in an estimated 50,000 wrecks each year, making up nearly 14% of all vehicle collisions in the state, according to data from University of Georgia researchers.

With this in mind, it’s important to consider and remember a few deer facts:

— While deer-car collisions can occur any time of year, the fall breeding season is a peak time for such accidents. Road shoulders generally provide green food both during extremely dry times of the year and following a long, hard winter.

— Collisions can be fatal … for drivers and passengers. About 200 people die in such accidents each year.

— If you see one deer, you’re likely seeing more than that. Deer travel in packs.

— Deer collisions peak during the last week of October and first weeks of November.

— Drivers can spot a deer up to about 20 feet ahead, with much less distance during dusk and dawn. Nobody can see around a curve or bend in the road.

— Don’t try to swerve around deer if you can safely slow down and use your horn to scare them off the road. Most fatal accidents happen when drivers attempt to pass around deer but end up in the path of oncoming traffic or another obstacle.

— Deer crossing signs are there for a reason. Be extra aware.

— Turn down the radio and put down the cell phone … and anything else that distracts your driving.

— If you are involved in a collision, turn on the hazard lights, call 911 and stay away from the deer. An injured animal can be dangerous to humans. Let professionals handle the situation.