Drivers Beware: June is Big Month for Car-Deer Accidents

Wisconsin drivers are being urged to use extra caution this month as June is prime time for car-deer accidents.

This is the time of year in which does look for places to give birth and young deer separate from their mothers. That extra movement means drivers may see more deer darting onto roads without warning, state transportation officials say.

While most deer-related accidents happen in the fall, June also is one of the worst months for driver and passenger injuries due to deer crashes, the Department of Transportation says. In four of the last five years, June ranked as the worst or second worst month for motorists’ injuries from deer crashes.

“Of course, the best way to prevent injuries is to avoid crashes by paying attention and slowing down. You also must be buckled up in case a crash can’t be avoided,” says Wisconsin State Patrol Maj. Sandra Huxtable, director of the WisDOT Bureau of Transportation Safety. ”Motorcyclists must be especially careful because collisions with deer can be fatal to motorcycle drivers and passengers. Motorcycles were involved in 11 of the 12 fatal deer versus motor vehicle crashes in 2012.” 

The DOT offers the following advice to avoid deer crashes:

• Be vigilant in early morning and evening hours, the most active time for deer.
• Eliminate distractions while driving and don’t speed.
• Always wear your safety belt — there are fewer and less severe injuries in crashes when safety belts are worn.
• If you see a deer by the side of the road, slow down and blow your horn with one long blast to frighten the deer away.
• When you see one deer, look for another one — deer seldom run alone.
• If you find a deer looming in your headlights, don't expect the deer to move away.Headlights can confuse a deer and cause the animal to freeze.
• Brake firmly when you notice a deer in or near your path.
• Do not swerve. It can confuse the deer as to where to run.