Spotted White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) fawn, Manitoulin Island, Ontario, Canada
It's peak season for crashes involving deer and motor vehicles, a time when over 1,600 such crashes were reported last year.
Deer crashes in Massachusetts between the months of October and December 2021 rose to 1,656 in 2021 -- the highest total in two decades. That amounts to one deer-related crash every 80 minutes in the Bay State, with most occurring during the afternoon commute, according to AAA.
“Hitting a deer can have traumatic and devastating consequences and drivers need to be especially vigilant at this time of year,” said Mary Maguire, a spokesperson for AAA Northeast.
These are the top Massachusetts towns for deer crashes from October through December in 2021, according to AAA:
1. Middleborough: 33
2. Westport: 32
3. Taunton: 31
4. Swansea: 22
5. Bolton/Freetown/Plymouth (tie): 19
6. Westford: 17
7. Rehoboth: 16
8. Easton/Norton/Weston (tie): 15
The top Massachusetts counties for deer crashes for that same time period were:
- Bristol: 282
- Middlesex: 277
- Worcester: 261
- Plymouth: 230
- Essex: 139
AAA offers the following tips for avoiding or mitigating deer crashes:
- Scan the shoulders of the road in front of you; deer may dash out from the shoulder or wooded areas adjacent to the road.
- Follow the speed limit; keeping your speed down will give you more time to respond to unexpected wildlife movements.
- Be careful rounding curves and climbing hills where visibility is limited.
- One long blast on your horn may frighten animals away from your car if you spy them early enough.
- If you spy one deer, look out for others. Deer rarely travel alone.
- Use your high beams along dark roadways if there is no oncoming traffic.
- If a collision is unavoidable, apply the brakes firmly and try to remain in your lane and avoid other vehicles; swerving sharply can cause an even more serious crash.
