Deer Car Collisions

Buffalo, N.Y. (WIVB) - Deer hunting shotgun season begins and it's an especially dangerous month for deer-car collisions.  News 4's Lindsay Schwarzwaelder has advice to help you avoid an accident when you see a deer in your headlights.

When you think of defensive driving you may think of minimizing accidents and avoiding others.  However, deer-car accidents are steadily increasing in New York State and across the US.

Thomas McDonnell says, "So far this month, the month of November we've investigated 94 car-deer accidents within the 8 counties of WNY alone."

And he's expecting these numbers to rise.  With bow season already under way and shotgun season beginning deer will be on the move.

"With more hunters in the field, there are going to be more deer on the move and when deer are on the move our car-deer crashes increase," says McDonnell.

State Game officials estimate a population of 800,000 deer in New York State alone, which is up from 450,000 just ten years ago.

With that population nearly doubling it is essential to practice defensive driving techniques.

"One of the things people can do as a good defensive driver is scanning the road ahead," he says.

It may be natural to swerve to avoid the deer, however this action may cause more harm in the end.

McDonnell says, "Keeping that in mind you don't want to put yourself at risk and crossing the center line and putting your self int he possiblity of having a headone collision or running off the road and striking a tree, a barrier or overturning."

Many people think car-deer accidents only happen on rural country roads, however they can happen just about anywhere.

Police responded to a car-deer accident on the 990 southbound. The 39 year old driver sustained nonlifethreatening injuries.

"If you know there's deer in the area slow down," says McDonnell.