Be Safe: November Is Peak Month For Deer-Vehicle Collisions

It probably comes as no surprise to long-time Northlanders, but the month of November is the peak period for deer-vehicle collisions.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation says that more auto-collisions with deer happen during this month than any other four-week period on the calendar.

One of the main reasons for the increase in crashes is that deer mating season occurs in November. A reduction in daylight hours and hunting season are other contributing factors.

Deer habitats are also disturbed during the fall harvest, causing deer to travel farther and in larger numbers than at any other time of the year.

From 2011 to 2013, there were 7,010 reported deer-vehicle crashes, according to the Department of Public Safety. There were 18 fatalities and 68 serious injuries. Of those injuries, 64 were motorcyclists. Two of the fatalities were in the 13-county Twin Cities Metro area, and the rest were in Greater Minnesota.

For those driving on Minnesota roadways, MNDOT offers these tips:

• Be particularly alert in the fall and spring. More than half of the crashes happen in October and November when deer are mating, and in May and June during the birthing season.
• Be vigilant at dusk and at dawn. A high percentage of crashes occur during the low-light or dark hours of the day when deer move between daytime bedding sites and evening feeding areas.
• Slow down and scan the sides of the road and ditches for animals when driving through forested lands or near river and stream banks.
• Drive defensively and expect the unexpected. If you see a deer near the road, slow down because it might dart in front of you. And, if there is one deer, there may be more nearby.
• Don't swerve. While it may seem like the right thing to do, swerving to avoid a deer could cause you to lose control or travel into the path of another vehicle. Striking a deer is safer than colliding with another vehicle or a tree.

And here’s one myth debunked: Deer are not attracted to the salt used to treat roadways during the winter, according to research. Other factors, noted above, are the more likely cause.