Watch Out For More Deer: Preventing Crashes, Staying Safe

ROCKVILLE, MD — Montgomery County residents have been spotting more white-tailed deer than ever before. While these deers are beautiful to look at, and have a very important place in our ecosystem, Montgomery Parks officials say the burgeoning deer population is negatively impacting the region.

"With an increase in edge habitat, few natural predators and limited hunting, deer populations have increased dramatically in the past twenty-five years," park officials said. "The result has been an increase in deer-human conflicts including deer related automobile accidents, damage to agricultural crops, residential gardens and landscaping, and concerns about communicable disease."

In an attempt to prevent deer-related issues, Montgomery Parks has published its Deer Management Plan. The plan, which can be found here, promotes safe driving tips, as well as procedures to follow in the event that a deer collides with your vehicle.

Some tips from Montgomery Parks can also be found below:

Driving in Deer County

The most important way drivers can reduce the chances of an accident with a deer is to drive within the speed limit. At night, reduce speeds below the limit, especially in rain, snow or fog.

Other precautions include: scanning the roadside and surrounding areas for deer, and other threats to try and predict the possibilities of such a hazard.

• Deer are most active at dawn and dusk but remain very active throughout the night.
• Watch for deer where roads pass through wooded or rural areas.
• Deer crossing signs indicate areas where deer vehicle accidents have been known to commonly occur.
• Slow down and watch for the eye-shine of deer near the road edges.
• Be especially cautious during seasons of high deer activity including – October to January during the breeding season, and May and June when yearlings are seeking new territories.
• Deer usually travel in groups. If you see a deer cross the road, slow down and use caution. More are likely to follow.

What do I do if a deer suddenly jumps in front of my car?

Of course, every case is different, but it is important to remember is to maintain control of your vehicle.

Apply the brakes in a controlled manner, and avoid sudden, swerving maneuvers.

Deer are quick and agile animals. It is more likely that they will leap out of your path than it is that you will be able to slow down and steer around them. Most serious injuries occur when a driver skids out of control and leave the road or, worse, swerves into oncoming traffic.

Such circumstances arise quickly allowing very little time to react. Try to think ahead. When you see a deer crossing sign, think about what you would do if you suddenly had a deer jump into the road. Mentally practice keeping a cool head and reacting in a controlled fashion. If it should happen one day you will be more likely to react appropriately.