CAUTION:
DEER AREA
More
than half of deer-vehicle crashes occur during the October-November
mating season or in the May-June season when fawns are born.
Deer are most active then.
Watch
out between dusk and dawn. Deer move back and forth from daytime
bedding sites to evening feeding areas, just as drivers are
hampered by dim light or darkness. Look for the shine of a deer's
eyes.
Yellow
deer-crossing signs are posted where deer crashes frequently
occur. Slow down to increase your response time. Scan roadsides
when passing through woods or near rivers and streams.
If you
spot a deer anywhere near the road, slow down and expect the
deer to dart in front of you. If there's one deer, watch carefully
-- there probably will be more, often traveling in single file.
Use
brakes, not your wheel. Swerving can take you into the path
of an oncoming vehicle or into the ditch -- potentially far
riskier than striking a deer.
Deer
whistles and other vehicle-mounted sound devices have been shown
to be largely ineffective in warning off deer.
AVOIDING
DEER-VEHICLE COLLISIONS
Watch
for Deer Crossing warning signs and drive with particular caution
in these areas. Deer Crossing signs are erected in areas that
are, or once were, migratory crossings routes for deer.
Deer
travel in groups. If you see one, be aware that others may follow.
Most
crashes involving deer occur at dawn and dusk. Be especially
cautious for deer during those times.
Use
your high beams when there is no oncoming traffic to help illuminate
deer's eyes. Be aware that high beams often confuse deer and
may cause them to freeze in a roadway. Turn your high beams
off if you spot a deer in the roadway.
If
you see a deer, slow down and blow your horn in one long blast
to frighten deer away.
Don't
swerve to avoid hitting a deer. Brake firmly and maintain control
of your vehicle.
Always
wear your safety belt. Always drive defensively and at a safe
speed. Slow down on country roads.
CONSOLATION
PRIZE
If
your vehicle is damaged by hitting a deer, you may have a consolation
prize for the barbecue grill.
State
Department of Natural Resources rules let drivers keep deer
they kill, after reporting the accident and getting a permit
from the local police department. In warm weather, the deer
should be dressed as quickly as possible.
And
don't risk your health by picking up a roadside carcass that
has been decomposing more than an hour, experts warn.
WHAT
TO DO IN CASE YOU HIT A DEER
If
you hit a deer and cause its death, you may take possession
of the deer, by law, as long as you report the collision to
a game protector or other law enforcement officer. ...
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