THE RUT IS ON! THIS IS THE TIME OF YEAR WHEN ACTIVE DEER ADD AN EXTRA ELEMENT OF RISK TO THE ROADWAYS. IN 2020, KANSAS EXPERIENCED 9,670 DEER-RELATED ACCIDENTS. FROM MID-OCTOBER UNTIL THE END OF DECEMBER, DEER-RELATED COLLISIONS SKYROCKET THROUGHOUT THE STATE. DEFENSIVE DRIVING SKILLS BECOME CRUCIAL WHILE THE DEER RUT.
HERE ARE SOME HELPFUL TIPS AIMED AT KEEPING DRIVERS SAFE FROM THE PERILS OF THE ROAD AHEAD. PEAK ACTIVITY FOR DEER IS DURING DAWN AND DUSK. THIS PERIOD OF HIGH ACTIVITY AND LOW VISIBILITY REQUIRES DRIVERS TO STAY ALERT AND PAY CLOSER ATTENTION TO THE SIDES OF THE ROAD. PAY HEED TO THE DEER-CROSSING SIGNS. THESE SIGNS ARE POSTED AT LOCATIONS WHERE DEER COLLISIONS HAVE REGULARLY OCCURRED. DEER ARE SOCIAL ANIMALS. DODGING ONE DEER OFTEN REQUIRES DODGING OTHERS. ALWAYS SLOW DOWN WHEN APPROACHING A DEER STANDING NEAR THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. DEER WILL RUN WHEN FRIGHTENED AND THE ROAD AHEAD CAN ALWAYS BE PART OF THEIR CHOSEN ESCAPE PATH. BE LOUD! A LONG BLAST OF THE CAR’S HORN WILL OFTEN FRIGHTEN DEER AWAY FROM THE ROAD. PLUS, A CAR’S HONK CAN CAUTION OTHER DRIVERS WITHIN THE VICINITY. BRIGHTEN UP THE PATH. UTILIZED WHEN THERE IS NO ONCOMING TRAFFIC, A CAR’S HIGH-BEAM HEADLIGHTS CAN HELP DRIVERS BETTER SCAN THE ROAD FOR THE REFLECTIVE EYES OF DEER AHEAD.
