How Common Are Deer Crashes In Parsippany? Here Are The Numbers

PARSIPPANY, NJ — With daylight savings ending and mating season underway, 'tis the season for crashing into a deer. But they occur more in Parsippany than most towns in the area, according to data from AAA.

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Deer crashes peak in autumn. The mating season puts deer on the move at dawn and dusk — just like many commuters driving between work and home, setting up a recipe for potentially serious crashes.

"Drivers need to be especially vigilant and anticipate deer darting into the roadway, especially during the early morning and evening hours," said Robert Sinclair Jr., senior manager of media relations at AAA.

Twenty-seven drivers crashed into deer from October to December 2019 in Parsippany, according to AAA. That's Morris County's fourth-highest total in that timespan — behind only Washington Township (40), Roxbury (30) and Mount Olive (29).

Parsippany is the county's most populous town, one of its biggest geographically and has no shortage of major roads — all factors to consider when evaluating its numbers versus its neighbors. But Morris County also had the fourth-most deer accidents from October to December 2019. Its total of 352 trails only the counties of Monmouth (539), Burlington (419) and Somerset (386).

Daylight savings ended last weekend, and New Jersey sunsets now fall around 4:45 p.m. each day. Most deer-related crashes occur because drivers simply don't see them near or crossing the roadway in low-light conditions.

Tom Langen, a professor of biology at Clarkson University in Potsdam, New York, wrote for The Conversation that collisions with deer are about eight times more frequent at dusk or dawn — when the deer are most active and motorists' ability to spot them is poorest — than during daylight hours. In fact, only about a fifth of deer-vehicle collisions occur during daylight hours.

AAA said drivers should do the following:

• Slow down. Reduce speed in low-light conditions, which will give you more time to respond to unexpected wildlife movements.
• Scan off-road areas. Deer may dash out from the shoulder or wooded areas adjacent to the road.
• Be patient. Where there is one, there may be many, so don't speed off if a deer crosses your path, as there may be more nearby.
• Be prepared. If a collision is unavoidable, apply the brakes firmly and remain in your lane; swerving sharply to avoid an animal can cause an even more serious crash.

The following towns saw the most deer crashes during late 2019:

• Jackson Township: 86
• Readington Township: 76
• Bridgewater Township: 67
• Marlboro Township: 66
• Franklin Township: 60
• Raritan Township: 59
• Vineland City: 58
• Hillsborough Township: 57
• Wayne Township: 55

In a study conducted by State Farm, New Jersey motorists had a 1 in 173 chance of colliding with an animal. The state is classified as "medium risk" for these types of collisions, according to the insurance survey released earlier this fall. Read more: NJ Deer Collisions With Motorists Increase In 2021

About 200 people die and 29,000 more are seriously injured every year in deer-automobile collisions, according to published research. Property damage exceeds $1 billion annually, with claims averaging around $2,600 per accident.

With reporting from Nicole Rosenthal/Patch Staff

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