Pennsylvania Injury Attorneys Blog
As deer season opens today in Pennsylvania, motorists are warned to keep an eye out for deer crossing roadways.
In an article on the RepublicanHerald.com, Cheryl Trewella, information an education supervisor with the Pennsylvania Game Commission Southeast Region, Reading, cautions, “Slow down a little bit this time of year. If you see one deer, assume there are more coming. Really try and keep that side vision.”
According to data from PennDOT, there were 52 crashes involving vehicles and deer in Schuylkill County last year, resulting in 13 injuries. In 2009, there were 36 crashes and eight injuries.
Pennsylvania ranks 4th in the nation for deer-related traffic accidents, according to State Farm Mutal Automobile Insurance Co., using data from the Federal Highway Administration. Based on 2010-2011 data, PA drivers have a 1 in 86 change of hitting a deer in the course of 12 months.
In the article, State Farm Insurance gives the following tips to avoid deer collisions:
* Look out for posted deer crossing signs along roadways.
* Deer are most active from 6 to 9 p.m., so be extra vigilant at those times.
* Use headlights to illumi-nate areas where deer will enter roadways.
* Keep in mind that where there is one deer, there are usually more.
* Do not rely on car-mounted whistles.
* Be careful in attempting to swerve out of the path of a deer. It could cause loss of control or impact with another vehicle.