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Wildlife: The rut is on, beware of deer on the road

Wildlife: The rut is on, beware of deer on the road

Last week, just after dark, a deer dashed across the road in front of my car. It’s something I’ve come to expect this time of year.

The rut, white-tailed deer mating season, is on.

From October through December, bucks chase does with one objective — mating. The result is that until the end of the year, deer can appear on highways anywhere at anytime.

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According to the Insurance Journal, State Farm, the nation’s leading auto insurer, estimates that 1.23 million deer-vehicle collisions costing more than $4 billion in damages occurred from July 1, 2011 to June 30, 2012. And the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reports that about 200 people die in these collisions annually.

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The best way to minimize your chance of a deer-vehicle collision is to slow down so there’s more time to react. Furthermore, it helps to understand a little about deer behavior.

Deer can be encountered anywhere, from city streets to rural interstate highways. And they’re most active from dusk until dawn.

Deer are social animals, often move in groups and behave unpredictably. When you see one ahead, slow down immediately and expect it to cross the road in front of you. Don’t watch it pass, look behind it for another.

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That’s the deer you’re most likely to hit.

When you see a deer on the road ahead, brake firmly but stay in your lane. If you swerve to avoid a 120-pound deer, you may hit an oncoming 3,000-pound vehicle or lose control of the car.

Finally, warn inexperienced drivers in the family about the dangers deer pose.

Scott Shalaway: www.drshalaway.com, sshalaway@aol.com.

First Published: October 18, 2015, 4:00 a.m.

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