Motorists Warned To Watch For Deer

Last updated on Wednesday, November 8, 2017

(WASHINGTON) - Washington County Sheriff Roger Newlon would like to remind drivers that the deer mating season occurs during the fall of the year and can be a dangerous time for drivers.

The Washington County Sheriff's Department has investigated twenty automobile accidents in the past five days and twelve of those accidents were car/deer accidents. Five of those car/deer accidents occurred between Thursday morning and Friday morning.

According to the insurance industry and recent studies:

There are about 1.6 million reported car/deer accidents a year.
Car/deer accidents lead to about 200 human deaths, 10,000 human injuries and 3.6 billion dollars in property damage every year.
The majority of car/deer accidents occur between October and December and between the hours of 6 p.m. and 9 p.m.
The leading cause of accidents, injuries and deaths from car/deer related accidents is when vehicles swerve.

Here are a couple of TIPS to avoid hitting a deer:

Watch for the rest of the gang. Deer are pack animals and rarely travel alone. If you see a doe near the roadway, assume a buck may be chasing the doe, during this time of year.
Timing is everything. Deer are most active at dusk and dawn. Slow down and stay alert, especially when traveling through areas, where deer are known to cross the roadway.

What to do after a car/deer accident;

Pull off the roadway as soon as it's safe to do so.
Turn on your hazard lights and remain in your vehicle until you are sure it is safe to exit your vehicle.
Call 911 if there are personal injuries and or the local police for property damage.
STAY AWAY from the deer. If the deer is still alive, it could be injured and or confused and could be dangerous if approached.
And if you choose to do so, you can request a road kill permit from a law enforcement officer that allows you to take the deer carcass for processing.

1340 AM WBIW welcomes comments and suggestions by calling 812.277.1340 during normal business hours or by email at comments@wbiw.com

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