Deer Are in Heat, So Drive Carefully

North Reading Police are telling motorists to be careful in the midst of deer mating season, as this time of year sees more and more deer traveling across roadways.

Most deer-related motor vehicle accidents happen between October and December, police say. Deer can be less cautious about vehicles during this time of year.

North Reading Police have a list of people who ask to be contacted when a deer is killed by a motorist. That person will take possession of the carcass. That being said, if you want to keep the carcass, your are entitled to it by Massachusetts Environmental Police law (who knew?) If you are interested in getting on the list of people called when a deer is fatally struck, please email Sgt. Tom Encarnacao at tencarnacao@nrpd.org including your full name, date of birth, address and best contact numbers.

Here's some things police want you to know as they urge drivers to take precautions:

• Most accidents occur between dusk and dawn, as deer have nocturnal tendencies.
• Always wear your seatbelt.
• Be attentive, reduce your speed, and don’t overdrive your headlights (driving too fast for the distance your headlights can cover). The most common remark people make after they’ve been in a deer related motor vehicle crash is that the deer “came out of nowhere.”
• When legal to do so, use high-beam headlights when driving in deer territory to increase your vision and your time to react to a deer hiding on the roadside that may suddenly jump in front of your car.
• If you see one deer on the side of the road, and you’re fortunate enough not to hit it, be sure to slow down, because where there is one deer, there will often be others.
• Be particularly vigilant when driving through areas with high foliage or low hanging branches on the roadside. If there are two people in the car, ask your passenger for help watching the sides of the road.
• Avoid riding motorcycles in areas with high deer populations. Riding a motorcycle leaves you much more vulnerable to serious injury in an accident than does driving a car.
• If a collision with a deer is unavoidable, it is usually best not to swerve to avoid it. Brake and hold the wheel straight. Turning the wheel to avoid the deer may result in a worse accident with another car, or cause the car to spin out of control resulting in a much more serious crash.
• If you do hit a deer, call the police and stay in your car until help arrives. If the deer is still alive, it may be stunned and could become very aggressive if aroused. Do not touch an injured deer or other animal. Any attempt to move the animal will likely cause further fear, injury, or suffering. Move safely off the road if possible, and consider the importance of alerting other drivers.