’Tis the season when motorists are advised to be on the lookout for deer bounding across the highway, especially in Southern Ontario’s Perth County.
According to CTV News, two car-deer collisions have been reported in the region each day since the beginning of November. It may sound like an extraordinary number, but OPP say it’s actually fairly average for the area. Typically, they respond to about 55 collisions with deer in that area during the month of November.
Although these types of collisions can happen at any time of the day, drivers are advised to be extra careful during dawn and dusk. According to the OPP, collisions occur most commonly between the hours of 5 a.m. to 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.
In addition to keeping your eyes peeled during peak hours, there are lots of other things you can do to help keep you, and the deer, safe.
For example, if a deer crosses the road in front of you, slow down and assume there are more to come, since deer tend to travel in groups. Also be sure to scan the road at night, using your high beams when possible, in order to get the widest visibility.
In the event that a deer does cross your path and you’re not able to hit the brakes, don’t swerve—animal movements are unpredictable and it could result in a more serious collision, perhaps with another car.
And finally, always keep your head up. It should go without saying, and applies to driving anywhere at any time of the year, but glancing down at an incoming text or fiddling with the radio could be more deadly than ever during deer season.
