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The mating habits of deer from October through December create problems for motorists in Virginia. |
By KELLY HANNON
To deer, passing cars are an obstacle to love.
October through December is deer mating season in Virginia, and highway travelers often get caught in the middle of their chase.
Deer will not hesitate to leap into traffic as they pursue the object of their affection, said Julia Dixon, Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries spokeswoman.
"Deer are more active at that time of year than any other time. They're moving around more, they're interested in breeding, and they're not looking left and right before they cross the road," Dixon said.
While deer are following their natural instinct, if they collide with a vehicle, the result can be deadly, scary and expensive for drivers.
Last year, there were 1.5 million deer-vehicle crashes in the United States, and 6,918 crashes in Virginia, according to national and state records. That's an increase of 720 crashes in five years
In the Fredericksburg area, there were approximately 700 deer crashes last year.
Drivers should be especially alert in Fauquier County, where there were twice as many deer-vehicle crashes last year than in any other local city or county.
Since deer do not carry auto insurance, the driver's company is left to carry the financial burden in a crash. One insurance company, AAA Mid-Atlantic, reported the average claim paid to a Virginia driver after a deer collision was $2,800.
Nationally, deer cause $1 billion in automobile damages a year, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
If not for hunters, the crash numbers could be even higher. Virginia is home to about 1 million deer, and hunters reduce the population by about 250,000 each year, Dixon said.
Some deer-vehicle collisions are unavoidable. Deer can emerge suddenly between trees and jump into a car, giving drivers no time to brake. "They're so unpredictable and they're so quick," Dixon said.
Staying alert for deer generally will help, especially at dawn and dusk, when they are most active, she said.
Deer have a small home base, and will stay in a confined area. If a driver sees a deer-crossing sign, heed it, Dixon said.
"That's where the Department of Transportation has determined there are deer in the area, and that's a pathway they frequent," Dixon said.
The Virginia Department of Transportation will pick up the carcasses of dead animals and deer from state-maintained roads.
"We will pick them up if they're in the right-of-way or on the road," said VDOT spokeswoman Tina Bundy. "If they're in your yard, then the property owner is responsible for the disposal."
VDOT's area maintenance headquarters will collect the animal carcasses. To find your local headquarters, call VDOT's Fredericksburg Residency at 540/899-4300.
Kelly Hannon: 540/374-5436
Email: khannon@freelancestar.com
| BE ON THE LOOKOUT
Watch for deer-crossing signs. Try to remember places where you've seen deer before, since they have a small home base. If you see one deer, watch out--more could follow, since deer travel in groups. SLOW DOWN If you see a deer, slow down and use your horn to scare it. Do not flash your lights at the deer, since that can cause it to fixate on the vehicle. If you cannot avoid a crash with a deer, AAA recommends slowing down and releasing your foot from the brake just before impact. Releasing the brake raises your vehicle's front end, increasing the odds that the deer will go underneath your vehicle and not through the windshield. DO NOT SWERVE Swerving can cause more damage and injuries than hitting the deer. You could lose control of your vehicle and strike another car or fixed object, like a tree or pole. WHISTLES NOT PROVEN There's no evidence that deer whistles mounted to a vehicle's hood work to deter deer. LEAVE THE DEER Do not try to move an injured deer. Call the police or animal control for help. DID YOU KNOW? Deer can travel 40 mph. --AAA Mid-Atlantic |
| Caroline County, 63
Culpeper County, 95 Fauquier County, 199 Fredericksburg, 20 King George County, 79 Orange County, 38 Stafford County, 80 Spotsylvania County, 94 Westmoreland County, 36 Virginia, 6,918 |
