Dear me; we can’t seem to buck the trend

For the past decade, Pennsylvania has been among the top states in vehicle accidents involving deer. In some of these years, such as 2015, Pennsylvania has been No. 1, a dubious honor to be sure. Last year, we were No. 3 behind West Virginia and Montana.

Unless you have never been in a vehicle which has hit a deer, you can’t begin to appreciate the frightening aftermath in terms of injuries to passengers, damage to the vehicle involved and the potential for even greater mayhem when drivers swerve to avoid the deer.

In many cases, the animals seem to come out nowhere. I remember with horror the time I hit a deer. I was traveling from Summit Hill to Jim Thorpe, cruising along at about 60 miles an hour. One second there was nothing on the road, but then I caught this blur in the trees along the road from the corner of my eye.

My car slammed into the deer before I could even hit the brakes. I was shaken with a couple of cuts and bruises but otherwise uninjured — a miracle many told me. The car was demolished, and the poor animal’s remains were scattered all over the roadway.

Aside from the one hit, I have had three close calls in my 62 years of driving. One of the most unnerving was on Route 209 south between Kresgeville and Lehighton. A deer cleanly leapfrogged over the hood of my car before I knew what had happened. On the other two occasions, the deer darted across the road, safely, missing my car by inches.

Until this very day, I am on high alert when I drive at dawn or dusk, the peak time for deer to be traveling or grazing. At these times of day, I prefer to have a passenger ride “shotgun,” so I have an extra set of eyes on the road.

According to just-released figures, Pennsylvania drivers have a one in 63 chance of hitting a deer while driving. State Farm Insurance, which tracks deer-vehicle encounters nationwide, said the chances of Pennsylvanians being involved in these kinds of accidents in 2016 increased 6.3 percent over 2015.

According to AAA, the five counties in Pennsylvania where most deer incidents occur are, in order of frequency, Chester, Bucks, Delaware, Monroe and Luzerne.

Mating season has just begun and lasts until December. Since the risk for these kinds of accidents more than doubles during mating season, motorists should be extra alert.

Love is blind, you know, and where one doe travels, you can be sure the buck doesn’t stop here, along the edge of the highway. He’s in hot pursuit, regardless of where the pursuit takes him.

State Farm says the most important way to avoid hitting a deer is to keep focused — no distractions. That sounds obvious, but it’s important to resist the urge to talk on the phone, text, eat or let the kids take your attention from the road. Deer are super quick, and you can find one suddenly in your path.

Highway and insurance experts also give these tips:

• If you see one deer, be prepared for more deer to cross the road.

• Pay attention to deer crossing signs.

• Always buckle up.

• Use your high beams to see farther, except when there is oncoming traffic.

• Avoid swerving. This can result in a more severe crash by endangering other motorists and their passengers.

• Do not rely on products such as deer whistles. They are not effective.

• If driving a motorcycle, always wear protective gear.

If you do happen to hit a deer, the State Game Commission says you do not have to report the incident to the agency, unless you want to claim the carcass.

Antlers from bucks killed in collisions with vehicles must be turned over to the Game Commission.

Insurance companies suggest these steps: Move your vehicle to a safe place. If possible, pull to the side of the road, and turn on your hazard signals; call the police, document the incident with photos if it is safe to do so, stay away from the animal, because it could still be alive, don’t assume your vehicle is safe to drive, and call your insurance company.

To report a dead deer for removal from state roads, motorists should call the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation at 800-349-7623.

By Bruce Frassinelli | tneditor@tnonline.com