Some initial hints for drivers to reduce risk of deer vehicle collisions:

• Do take note of deer warning signs, by driving with caution at or below the posted speed limit. Such signs really are positioned only where animal crossings are likely.

• Peaks in deer related traffic collisions occur October through December, followed by May. Highest-risk periods are from sunset to midnight followed by the hours shortly before and after sunrise.

• Be aware that further deer may well cross after the ones you have noticed .

• After dark, do use full-beams when there is no opposing traffic. The headlight beam will illuminate the eyes of deer on or near a roadway and provide greater driver reaction time. BUT, when a deer or other animal is noted on the road, dim your headlights as animals startled by the beam may ‘freeze’ rather than leaving the road.

• Don't overswerve to avoid hitting a deer. If a collision with the animal seems inevitable, then hit it while maintaining full control of your car. The alternative of swerving into oncoming traffic or a ditch could be even worse. An exception here may be motorcyclists, who are at particular risk when in direct collisions with animals.

• Only break sharply and stop if there is no danger of being hit by following traffic. Try to come to a stop as far in front of the animals as possible to enable it to leave the roadside without panic.

• Report any deer-vehicle collisions to the police (who should be able to contact the local person best placed to assist with an injured deer at the roadside)

• Finally, remember to .. Stay alert - Deer on Roads

Sample Deer on Roads videos ©Jochen Langbein

For more clips and larger view click JL_youtube channel to see:
Red deer herd 50+ cross A39 traffic Somerset
33sec >29,000 views
Fallow near misses Buckinghamshire
34sec >35,000 views
Fallow crossing safely over M25 (1)
43sec >120 views
Deer-on-roads Stay Alert 72sec. >7900 views)

i.COLLISION CAUSE - Article by Jochen Langbein and Rory Putman examining a range of measures designed to reduce deer related accidents, [ DEER magazine (2006)Vol .13(10), p.19-23]: to download pdf copy click here.

ii. Traffic Collisions involving deer and other ungulates in Europe (2010) by Jochen Langbein, Rory Putman and Bostjan Pokorny). [see Chapter 8 , pp. 215-259 In : Ungulate Management in Europe - Problems & Pratices (eds Putman, Appolonio, Andersen ].

iii) Literature review and report commissioned by the Deer Commission for Scotland: R.J. Putman, J. Langbein and B.W.Staines (2004) 'DEER AND ROAD TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS: A REVIEW OF MITIGATION MEASURES - COSTS AND COST-EFFECTIVENESS'. To download a copy of this report in .doc format ( 650kb) click here .