The Rural Voice, 2000-10, Page 24/t's an heart -stopper
most people who live
in the country have
experienced. It's a black
fall night and as you strain
your eyes on the road
ahead you suddenly see a
glint of your headlights on
eyes at the side of the
road, or you see the flash
of a white tail, or just a
shadow bounding across
the road between you and
the lights of an oncoming
vehicle.
If you're lucky, this
encounter with the local
deer population ends
there, with nothing more
than a shot of adrenaline.
For more and more drivers
in some parts of the
countryside, however, the
situation gets much worse
when vehicle and deer
collide.
The statistics vary from
region to region but in
Huron County, the
situation has become so
critical that a special Deer
Alert program has been
set up by Safety First
Huron Perth, a joint effort
of the district health
council, Huron and Perth
health units, Ontario
Provincial Police,
Ministry of Transportation
and farm safety groups.
One in four motor vehicle
accidents in Huron County
involves a deer, the group
says.
Constable Don
Shropshall, information
officer with the Huron
OPP, says officers in his
detachment expect they'll
investigate 300 vehicle -
deer collisions this year,
with nearly half of those
coming in October,
November and December.
In October the number of
collisions will average
nearly two a day.
Other areas report the
problem is less serious but
in the fall, when deer are
on the move because of
mating season and hunting
20 THE RURAL VOICE
PRETTY...
, DANGEROUS
Deer may be magnificent in
daylight but on dark roads in
the fall they can add danger
to your driving
season, the numbers jump
significantly. And, says
Constable Darryl
Campbell of the South
Bruce OPP, because of the
size of deer, if there is a
collision there is a
significant amount of
damage. Worse, "every
time you have a car/deer
accident it's potentially
dangerous." Whether it's
actual damage caused by
the deer itself -or from the
driver going off the road
as a result of the collision,
vehicle occupants can be
endangered, Campbell
says.
Because most car/deer
collisions are on rural
roads, people in farm
areas are most often in
danger from deer related
accidents. Grey and
Bruce, with their large
areas away from urban
developments, encourage
a thriving deer population,
says Constable Bob
Mclntee with the
Wellington. and Grey
County detachments.
Swelling deer
populations combined
with more urban
development are bringing
deer and humans into
more contact. In Huron
County there were 160
collisions in 1998. By
early September, Huron
had already reached the
172 mark for this year and
Shropshall expects it will
get much worse. .
In south Bruce,
Campbell says there were
97 car/deer collisions all
last year (about one in
seven accidents in the
area), 50 of them in
October and November.
As of early September
there had already been 67
collisions with the big
months still to come.
What can you do to
protect yourself?
First of all, be aware of
the danger. Collisions
between deer and vehicles
most often take place
between 5:00 a.m. and
8:00 a.m. and between
6:00 p.m. and midnight.
Since deer are nocturnal
browsers, this is the time
they're out seeking food
and water.
The problem gets
worse in October and
November. During this
rutting season, deer are on
the move. As well,
hunting season disrupts
their normal patterns and
makes them travel more.
Furthermore, with winter
approaching some are
moving from summer
browsing areas to their
winter yards.
ay attention to "deer
crossing" signs
which will alert you
to areas that have a history
of having heavy deer
traffic.
On commonly travelled
roads, familiarize yourself
during the daytime with