It may be deer hunting season, but it’s also deer collision season. It’s mating season and time changes largely contribute to the increase in accidents in the fall and winter months.
State Farm found that in Georgia, drivers have a 1 in 83 chance of hitting a deer.
State wildlife resources officials are urging drivers to watch out for deer on and near roads because this time of year is the peak activity season for the animals.
Charlie Killmaster, state deer biologist with the Wildlife Resources Division, said, “Motorists should be alert and pay close attention to roadsides as we are nearing the annual peak time of year for deer movement.”
“Keep in mind that deer often travel in groups, so if a deer crosses the road ahead of you there is a good chance that another will follow,” he said. “In many cases, that second deer is the one hit as the driver assumes the danger has passed and fails to slow down.”
Adult deer can weigh anywhere from 70 to 250 pounds, which means a collision with one could cause serious damage to a vehicle and injury to motorists, officials said.
Deer are most active at dawn and dusk and are typically seen along roads during the early morning and late evening – the same times most people are commuting to and from work. If it is too late to avoid a collision, drivers should slow down as much as possible to minimize damage.
Researchers at the University of Georgia and biologists with the Wildlife Resources Division found a strong correlation between peak deer-vehicle collision timeframes, deer conception dates and the hourly movement rates of deer tracked by GPS, the Division reported.
Based on that information, deer-vehicle collision data provided by the Georgia Department of Transportation was used to map the timing of peak deer movement in Georgia, it reported.
For more information on deer, visit https://georgiawildlife.com/deer-info.
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