Wednesday, October 25, 2007
For Immediate Release
Media Contact: Angela Speed
(414) 431-6104 aspeed@wihumane.org

Traveling this Weekend? Watch Out for Deer!

Grafton, WI – It’s October, and that means that white-tailed deer are gearing-up for their mating season. Consequently, deer are very active this time of year, and October and November are annually the peak months for deer/vehicle collisions on Wisconsin’s roadways.

In 2005 Wisconsin motorists reported 16,989 collisions with deer; this is over 15% of ALL reported vehicle collisions. Twelve people were killed in these crashes and 554 people were injured. For the last few years, Milwaukee and surrounding counties have averaged a total of 1,775 reported deer/vehicle collisions each year.

The Ozaukee Humane Society would like to remind people to follow these tips to avoid injuring deer and staying safe on the roadway:

• Stay alert – watch for deer near roadways.
• Slow down whenever you see deer near roadways – they are very unpredictable. 
• Slow down in deer crossing zones – the signs are posted there for good reason.
• Don’t “overdrive” your headlights at night – if a deer jumps out into the roadway, will you be able to stop in time?   Slow down to make sure you can brake for deer.
• Use your high beams when driving at night when there is no opposing traffic.
• Maintain your vehicle’s brakes and tires in good condition.
• Avoid swerving out of your lane to miss a deer – this could cause your car to strike an oncoming car or to leave the roadway, possibly causing a roll-over.
• Watch for more than one deer – deer often travel in groups.
• Avoid frightening deer – deer that wander into neighborhoods are often very frightened and unpredictable.  Loud noises or chasing them may cause them to run into traffic or even jump through a window!  Deer in neighborhoods will usually find their way out of difficulty if left undisturbed overnight.

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