AAA reminds drivers, it’s deer moving season

 Deer can be spotted near roadways any time of the year, but drivers should be especially vigilant in the fall. AAA of South Dakota is reminding drivers that October through December marks deer-mating season, so the animals are more active and more likely to dart into the road.

Roughly 1.5 million deer-related vehicle collisions happen in the United States each year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. While the vast majority of deer strikes do not involve serious injury, in the last ten years almost 1,900 people nationwide were killed in crashes involving animals, including 18 in South Dakota.  

With that in mind, AAA reminds drivers to stay focused and look out for deer, especially during the morning and evening hours when the distracted animals are most active and most likely to intersect with vehicles on the road.

AAA offers several other tips to Avoid an Animal Collision.

• Reduce speed near deer crossing signs.
• Deer rarely travel alone, so if you see one, there are likely to be one or more nearby.
• Don’t veer for deer. If an animal is in your path, stay in your lane.

In the event of a collision with an animal, AAA’s insurance experts recommend you immediately move the vehicle out of the roadway. Once you are in a safe location and no longer driving, put the vehicle’s hazard lights on and call the police. Contact your insurance company as quickly as possible to report any damage to your car, and take photos of the damage if you can do so safely and without entering the roadway.