The most dangerous day of the year for deer and drivers is only a day away.
According to statistics from the Kansas Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Traffic Safety, a total of 700 deer-vehicle accidents have occurred on Nov. 18 in the past 10 years.
“We continue to see a high number of crashes in Kansas,” said Pete Bodyk, BTS chief. “Even though our numbers for deer-related crashes dropped overall in 2005, Kansas drivers need to stay alert to the dangers on roadways on Nov. 18.”
Bodyk attributed the accident rate to a combination of factors. The state’s deer population, which fluctuates between 350,000 and 400,000, is active during November and December during the mating season, often called “the rut.” The deer also have widened their foraging range as they attempt to build up their fat reserves for the winter. That instinct exposes them to unfamiliar risks, like highways.
KDOT recorded a total of 8,819 deer-related crashes in 2005, which was almost 13 percent of all recorded collisions in Kansas last year.
Bodyk said in a telephone interview Wednesday afternoon that the accidents cost approximately $45.1 million in expenses related to the accidents — vehicle damages, lost wages, medical bills, funeral bills and other associated costs. The figure was derived from a formula the state uses to determine costs of all types of vehicle crashes, based on severity of the accidents.
The Bureau of Traffic Safety recommends using these precautions while driving this season:
- Be especially alert at dawn and dusk, when deer are most active.
- Slow down to avoid a collision with a deer, but do not swerve. The most serious crashes occur when motorists take evasive action that can lead to losing control of the vehicle.
- Be watchful in areas with deer-crossing signs. The signs indicate heavily used areas where deer cross roadways.
- When driving at night, use high beams when there is no oncoming traffic. The high beams are more likely to reveal deer’s eyes or silhouettets.
- Deer seldom travel alone. If you see one deer crossing a road, chances are good that others are nearby.
Trying to stay alert to deer activity can reduce risks, but does not guarantee safe passage for any driver. Bodyk said that a deer recently bounded onto the roadway as his sister was driving home from the airport. The sudden encounter prompted an accident.
He said his sister was not injured, but the side of her vehicle sustained damage from front to back.
“She didn’t have time to swerve,” Bodyk said, “which was a good thing.”
For more information about deer-related crashes or to see statewide statistics, visit http://www.ksdot.org/burTransPlan/prodinfo/2005factsbook/Deer.pdf.