Since it’s mating season, WisDOT expects deer to increase their activity, particularly at dusk and dawn. Deer could unexpectedly dart onto roads and into the path of vehicles as they roam back and forth between their bedding and feeding areas.
“To avoid hitting deer with your vehicle, you need to slow down whenever you see them nearby. If you see one deer, there are probably more in the area that could dash in front of your vehicle,” says David Pabst, director of the WisDOT Bureau of Transportation Safety. “If you can’t avoid a deer in the road, it’s safer to hit the brakes and hit the deer than to swerve suddenly and try to miss it. If you swerve, you risk losing control of your vehicle and hitting another car or a stationary object like a tree.”
Last year, Wisconsin reportedly had a total of 18,338 deer and vehicle crashes.
And it’s not just Wisconsin. Drivers in any states with deer population should be a little extra cautious this fall.
