DEER SAFETY
 

Motorists need to heighten their awareness of deer during the fall breeding season," said Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Secretary John R. Griffin. "Deer do not stop and look both ways when they cross a highway.

Collisions between deer and automobiles result in a substantial cost, including damage to vehicles, the loss of a valuable wildlife resource and human injuries or fatalities. Recent reports indicate that more than 400,000 deer/vehicle collisions occur annually on our nation’s highways. Reported deer/vehicle collisions in Maryland have continued to rise, with more than 22,900 deer-vehicle accidents reported during 2001. As deer and human populations have grown in the metropolitan areas, this danger has become greater. Although no statistics are available regarding the combined property damage and personal injury loss resulting from deer/vehicle collisions in Maryland, property damage alone is conservatively estimated to be in excess of $6 million annually.

Reporting

The County records and reports the number of deer killed by vehicles along County-maintained roadways, including the specific location of each reported kill. This information is reported to the DNR for purposes of updating their database, mapping and to assess deer population management plans. As of November 5, 2005, the following was reported to the DNR by the Count Highways Division:

Year	Number of Deer
1999*	27
2000*	56
2001*	62
2002*	52
2003*	47
2004*	62

*These numbers do not include the many accidents that go unreported. Actual numbers are possibly 2-3 times the numbers shown above.


Avoiding Accidents

Most of these accidents occur between dusk and dawn. Watch for deer where roads pass through wooded or rural areas. The most important thing drivers can do to reduce the chances of an accident with a deer is to drive the speed limit. At night, reduce speeds below the limit, especially in rain, snow or fog. In addition to DNR recommendations, here are some other tips to keep in mind as a driver.

	Deer usually travel in groups and generally maintain a home range of about one square mile. If you see a deer cross the road, slow down and use caution. Often additional deer are out of view and more are likely to follow.
	A deer standing calmly in a field may suddenly jump into the road. Anticipate the potential for this rapid change in posture.
	Elevate your deer awareness at locations with deer crossing signs. Deer crossing signs indicate areas where heavily used deer trails cross roadways. Slow down and watch for the eye-shine of deer near the roadway edges.
	Be especially aware during the morning and afternoon. Deer tend to be more active during the early morning hours and late afternoon hour’s year round. They are moving between evening feeding areas and daytime bedding sites.
	Be especially cautious during seasons of high deer activity including - October to January during the breeding season, and May and June when yearlings are seeking new territories. In Spring, deer move as snow disappears and tend to gravitate near roadway shoulders for the first greening grass and remaining roadway salt.
	Slow down to avoid hitting a deer, but do not swerve. This can cause you do lose control and strike another vehicle or to leave the highway and strike a tree or other object. Injuries to drivers and passengers increase when the vehicle swerves.

 

What do I do if a deer suddenly jumps in front of the car?

Of course every case is different, but there are a few things to consider if you find yourself in this situation. The most important thing to remember is to maintain control of your car. Apply the brakes in a controlled manner. Deer are quick and agile animals. It is more likely that they will leap out of your path than that you will be able to brake and steer around them. Most serious injuries occur when a driver skids out of control and leaves the road or, worst of all, swerves into oncoming traffic. Obviously these circumstances arise quickly allowing very little time to react. Try to think ahead. When you see a deer crossing sign, think about what you would do if you suddenly had a deer jump into the road. Mentally practice keeping a cool head and reacting in a controlled fashion. If it should happen one day you will be more likely to react appropriately.

In the event of an accident

Motorists and passengers involved should provide assistance to anyone injured. Do not attempt to remove a dead or injured deer from a busy roadway. Instead, contact local, county or state law enforcement officials. The driver of the motor vehicle involved in a vehicle-deer collision has priority in taking care of possession of the deer. If the driver does not want the deer, any County resident may claim the animal. Anyone possessing the deer must keep a personal record of the place where the deer was claimed, the sex of the animal, the location of the accident, and the place where the deer parts are stored. This information must be kept until the deer is consumed or no longer in the possession of any person. This information must also be provided to any law enforcement officer investigating the death and possession of the deer.

Reporting an Animal Carcass

If an animal carcass is found along or within a County-maintained road, please immediately contact the County DPW&T Highways Division at (301) 863-8400, fax information to (301) 863-8810 or fill out our on-line Maintenance Request Form. Carcasses found within State-maintained roadways should be reported directly to (301) 475-8035, but we will ensure that the information is forwarded to the local State Highway Administration facility if reported to us. For more information, please refer to our Animal Carcass Disposal page.

Technology Deterrence

According to traffic safety experts, some other ideas for using technology to try to reduce the number of vehicle-deer crashes include, but are not limited to the use of: Active Signs-installed roadside or on-board; Special Crossings-designed to funnel the deer traffic to a particular roadway crossing by fencing or other devices; Crossing Structures-overpasses and underpasses that take into account natural game trails; Deer-proof or electric fences-to help prevent deer from crossing roads at specified locations; Reflectors and Specialized Mirrors- placed along roadway shoulders at headlight level to freeze or frighten deer; Scent Barriers and Chemical Repellants-sprayed along roadway shoulders and released over time.