Deer a highway danger in fall
By From staff reports
Published in News on October 26, 2015 1:46 PM
Deer are a common sight not only along roadways in rural Wayne County, but city streets as well -- particularly along the wooded areas near Goldsboro's Stoney Creek Parkway.
But the deer are more than a glimpse of nature, they can also pose a threat to motorists.
Between 2012-2014 there were 823 animal-vehicle crashes in Wayne County resulting in 63 injuries and $1.86 million in damages.
There were 248 animal-vehicle collisions in Wayne County in 2014, putting Wayne County at 30th in the state rankings for the crashes.
Statewide between 2012-2014, nearly half of the 58,372 animal-related crashes took place in October through December.
About 90 percent of those involved deer.
Over the past three years, animal-related crashes claimed 11 lives, injured more than 3,386 drivers and passengers and caused nearly $145 million in damages in North Carolina.
Deer are on the roadways more during the fall into winter months because of the hunting and mating seasons.
A state Department of Transportation study shows that in 2014, there were 17,831 animal-related crashes, the lowest number since 2006.
"This is the time drivers need to be especially careful on the roads in regard to deer," DOT Director of Mobility and Safety Kevin Lacy said. "Increased activity and decreasing daylight hours mean extra attention by motorists to their surroundings is needed for their safety and the safety of others."
For the 12th year in a row, Wake County led all of the state's 100 counties in the number of animal-related crashes with 794.
The number remains high compared to the rest of the counties because Wake County still has considerable acreage of woods, with an increasing number of drivers on rural and urban roads. Pitt County was the runner-up with 562 animal-related crashes. Duplin County recorded 445 crashes.
Between 2012-14, there were 1,581 crashes reported in Duplin that resulted in 35 injuries and $3.38 million in damages.
Deer travel more at dawn.
The largest number of crashes in 2014 came between 5 and 7 a.m. and 6 and 11 p.m.
In addition to more deer moving about and crossing roads at those times, decreased driver visibility makes it more difficult to see the animals on or near roadways.
DOT offers the following suggestions for motorists to avoid being in a deer-vehicle crash:
* Slow down in posted deer crossing areas and heavily wooded areas, especially during the late afternoon and evening.
* Always wear your seat belt. Most people injured in deer-vehicle crashes were not wearing their seat belt.
* Statistics indicate most deer-vehicle crashes occur in areas where deer are more likely to travel through, such as near bridges or overpasses, railroad tracks, streams and ditches.
* Drive with high beams on when possible, and watch for eyes reflecting in the headlights.
* Remember that deer often travel in groups, so do not assume that if you see one deer cross the road, there won't be others following.
* Slow down and blow your horn with one long blast to frighten the deer away.
* Increase the distance between your vehicle and other cars, especially at night. If the car ahead of you hits a deer, you may also become involved in the crash.
* Do not swerve to avoid a collision with deer. This could cause you to lose control of your vehicle, flipping it over, veering it into oncoming traffic or overcorrecting and running off the road, causing a more serious crash.
* Do not rely on devices such as deer whistles, deer fences or reflectors to deter deer as these devices have not been proven to reduce deer-vehicle crashes.
* If your vehicle strikes a deer, do not touch the animal. A frightened and wounded deer can hurt you or further injure itself. The best procedure is to get your car off the road if possible, and call 911.