DEC cautions motorists about roadway deer encounters

ALBANY, NY — NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Erin M. Crotty says be on the lookout for deer as the peak season for deer-vehicle collisions has arrived.

According to statistics compiled since 1985, the peak period for deer-vehicle collisions is October through December, which coincides with mating season for deer. Nearly two-thirds of the annual collisions are reported during this three-month period, with most of the collisions occurring between 6:30 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

In 2001, state law enforcement agencies reported 8,570 deer were killed in vehicle collisions on New York roadways, a decline of 683 from the previous year. A Cornell University study calculated that the number of deer-vehicle accidents may be as many as six times the number of deer fatalities in deer-vehicle accidents reported to the DEC.

“The deer population is estimated at nearly one million in New York State and during the late fall and early winter, there is a greater likelihood that deer may wander onto roadways, creating hazards for drivers,” Crotty said.

DEC strongly advises motorists to take the following precautions to prevent deer-vehicle collisions:

• Use extreme caution when driving at dawn or dusk, especially from late October through December and when visibility is poor.
• Slow down when approaching deer standing near the roadside, since they may bolt at the last minute as a car comes closer, often sprinting onto the road.
• If you see a deer cross the road, be alert as others often may follow.
• Use flashers or a headlight signal to warn other drivers when you spot deer near the road.
• Be alert and use extreme caution when traveling through deer crossing areas, which are usually marked with road signs.