Illinois and Missouri have relatively high rates of reported vehicle-wildlife collisions. In
1994 Illinois reported 17,118 such collisions, and Missouri reported 5,197. In a search
of Internet sites, TranSafety found both states working to get messages out to motorists
warning of the increased danger of deer-vehicle collisions during certain times of the
year.
Illinois Warns of Spring Hazard
On May 20, 1996, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (Department) issued a
press release entitled "Motorists Warned to Be on the Lookout for Deer." "Spring
flowers, green pastures and the season when deer-auto accidents increase all come
with the onset of warm weather," advised the press release.
Department Director Brent Manning said, "Spring is fawning season and deer will be
quite active through June. Females are preparing to give birth, and yearlings are
leaving their mothers, striking out on their own." He added, "With this in mind, drivers
should slow down and keep a sharp eye on roadways and roadsides, especially during
the hours around dawn and dusk."
The press release referred to the over 17,000 wildlife-vehicle collisions on Illinois
highways during 1994, adding that these collisions resulted in five motorist fatalities.
Marty Jones, urban deer project manager for the Department of Natural Resources,
offered defensive driving advice. "Motorists should be particularly wary where roadways
cross creeks and rivers, divide wooded corridors, bisect fence rows or where field edges
run perpendicular to the road," Jones said. He suggested that deer seldom travel alone;
therefore, a motorist seeing one deer should be ready for the sudden appearance of
more. The press release advised, "Drivers seeing deer along a road should slowly
reduce speed and sound their car's horn in short bursts. If the deer are seen in the road
at night, motorists should blink their headlights from bright to dim."
Missouri Warns of Fall Hazard
A fall article entitled "Deer Increase Road Hazards" appeared in The Cabin, an on-line
magazine from Gold Stag Communications, Inc. The article asked, "Why do male white-
tailed deer risk their lives crossing roads each fall?" The answer: "To get to the female
deer on the other side."
Lonnie Hansen of the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) emphasized, "The
normal caution a deer takes before crossing a busy road just isn't there during the rut."
Consequently, more than one-fourth of Missouri's deer-vehicle collisions happen during
November.
MDC suggested many of the same precautions mentioned by Illinois: slow down; watch
for deer, especially in wooded areas or where you see deer crossing signs; be aware
that deer travel in groups; flash your car lights; and honk your horn. Hansen adds a
warning for motorists who might swerve to avoid hitting a deer. "Some of the most
serious accidents occur when a deer jumps out onto the road, a driver swerves to avoid
it and loses control of his car," said Hansen. He continued, "You're at less risk of
serious injury if you hit the deer, than you are if you lose control and hit another car or a
tree."
