Last weekend, I had the opportunity to participate in cleaning up our family’s Adopt a Highway section on STH 42 between Kewaunee and Algoma. It is always interesting to see what kinds of items one gets to pick up each year. One thing I did notice was the number of animal carcasses along the roads and down in the ditches. This, of course, gave me the inspiration for this week’s article.
As it relates to car-deer accidents, we have seen increases, with varying degrees of highs and lows, over the years.
Our current records management system dates back to 2000. In that year, we documented 268 car-deer accidents. In 2020, we had a total of 367, and these are just the accidents that were reported to us. Many times, for various reasons, deer are struck by motor vehicles, but the drivers decide not to report these accidents. We become aware of some of these incidents because of the deer carcasses that remain at the scene. Those accidents are not counted in this data.
Last year’s total number of car-deer accidents was 352, with 272 recorded at this time of year. So far this year, we are at 283. Let’s all try to keep this year’s total lower than last year’s. We can do this in many ways.
First, let me say that I don’t speculate about deer populations or trends. That is information that the DNR keeps track of, and while it may have some bearing on our growing number of car-deer accidents, I also believe we have developed some bad habits over the past 17 years that have contributed to the increase.
The biggest contributor I see is inattentive driving. Although inattentive driving has been around since the dawn of the automobile, the presence of electronic devices is something new, and with it has emerged a new method of communication: texting. We have all heard of, or may even have witnessed, the dangers that texting while driving poses on our roadways. I have no doubt that more than a few car-deer accidents could have been avoided had the drivers been paying closer attention to the road.
Distracted driving is a danger throughout the year, but if there were ever a time to put your phones away, it would be during these next few weeks and months. As a driver, your focus needs to be on your primary mission, and that is driving. Many accidents could be avoided by increased vigilance along road edges and ditch lines. Most of the ditches along town, county and state highways have been cleared for this very reason, providing drivers with an additional field of vision to help prevent such tragedies.
As I stated earlier, we are trending higher for accidents this year, which coincides with the historical increase in car-deer accidents during this time of year. Please take your time and be watchful, especially during the evening and morning hours. This includes allowing additional space between your vehicle and the vehicle traveling in front of you. Following too closely is always unsafe, but even more so at this time of year when the vehicle in front of you may have to react suddenly. Due to your close proximity, you may not have enough time to react safely.
Speaking of evasive maneuvers, it is always recommended that you not swerve to miss a deer in the roadway, as the potential for damage to your vehicle and injury to yourself is greatly increased. Although it may seem counterintuitive, it is best to apply your brakes but remain in your lane of travel. It is best to slow down and enjoy the beauty of autumn that surrounds us.
