As deer-mating season gets into full swing, Illinois motorists should be prepared to see more Bambis in the roadway, according to transportation officials.
Vehicle crashes involving deer are most common during breeding season, which begins in autumn and lasts through the winter months. In Illinois these collisions begin to ramp up when deer are most active in October and peak in November, according to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. November is the month that drivers are most likely to strike a deer. Dawn and dusk carry the highest risk.
In 2016, nearly 15,000 crashes in Illinois involved deer. Many of those collisions occurred on rural roadways during early morning or evening hours.
Illinois has created a map plotting the prevalence of deer-related accidents from 2005 through 2014. In Chicago, stretches of the Kennedy Expressway appear to have the highest deer activity among the major highways.
Because deer are creatures of habit, it’s common to see them taking the same path or doubling back.
During mating season, drivers are encouraged to keep a safe distance between other vehicles and be prepared to stop. Motorists are advised to slow to a stop and wait for deer to move along rather than swerve into traffic or off the road to go around them. Most accidents do not result in the animal being struck. Many drivers swerve instead to avoid the animal and strike a tree or another vehicle. Experts say drivers should hit the deer. It will cause less damage to the car.
To coax deer to move from the roadway, state officials recommend that drivers flash their headlights or honk their horns.