Researchers at UA and AU Team Up to Study
Vehical-Deer Strikes
This article is based on a news release from February 2005, but the findings are still quite relevant in that deer behavior does not vary much from decade to decade.
Researchers from The University of Alabama and Auburn University recently released study results that focus on the role of wildlife habitat and its influence on deer-vehicle crashes.
The study began with the analysis of deer habitats in an attempt to find practical ways of mitigating deer-vehicle crashes in Alabama. Other factors taken into consideration included the time of day, month and location. The goal of the study was to help save lives and reduce injuries that result from the large number of deer-vehicle crashes in Alabama.
This was a major research effort that teamed UA with the Center for Forest Sustainability at Auburn University. Others involved in the study include the East-Berryman Institute of Mississippi State University, the Alabama Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries, the Alabama Bureau of County Transportation, the Alabama Motor Vehicle Division and the Alabama Department of Transportation. The team also utilized the U.S. Agriculture and Population census reports. The following are some of the major findings of the research:
- Forty percent of all deer crashes occur on county roads.
- The share of pasture land to woodland is significant, with an increase in pasture land proportion generally leading to an increase in deer strikes.
- An increase in hunting license sales and bag limits for deer without antlers are directly related to a reduction in the deer strikes the following year.
- Counties that are part of metropolitan statistical areas have a higher probability of a deer-vehicle crash. This is because the protection of deer in urban areas builds up their proximity with the larger driving volume in these areas.
- More than 40 percent of deer-vehicle strikes occur during the three month deer season, which occurs during November through January. This is probably caused by a combination of their being forced by hunters to move around at this time, and the behavior changes during the mating season.
- There is a significant shift in the time of day that deer crashes take place, from the daylight and dawn hours in the summer to the dusk and night time hours during the deer season. Drivers need to be particularly aware of the increased presence of deer at times when they are least visible. Of course, there is much more dusk and dark time driving in the late autumn as well due to daylight saving time.
The following are additional practical considerations to avoid deer-vehicle crashes:
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Beware of rural roads that were repaved or had shoulder work done in the fall of the year. Quite often rye grass will be planted to stabilize the loose soil and this food source will attract the deer especially at dusk and at night.
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Reduce speed at night. Example: Montana, which from 1995 to 1999 had a daytime speed limit of “reasonable and prudent” for vehicles other than trucks imposed a nighttime 65 MPH speed limit on Interstates and 55 MPH on other roads mainly because of the number of animals that wander out onto the roadways in that mostly rural state, and the fact that above-65 MPH driving “outruns the headlights,” i.e., it is impossible to stop in time or to otherwise safely avoid an animal once it is seen.
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Watch especially before and after bridges where the ground is generally be more fertile (e.g., supporting a concentration of oak trees around streams), and water may be available.
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If deer are spotted on the side of the road, brake immediately to get to a speed where you can easily maneuver or stop. Deer are rarely alone and herds of a dozen are common in Alabama. In prolonged segments where rye has been planted on the roadside, literally hundreds of deer have been observed at night. When one deer is seen the chance of seeing another increases dramatically.
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Consider maneuvering to avoid the deer as opposed to hard braking. This is a tradeoff that must consider other traffic conditions. For example, it may not be wise to brake hard if someone is riding closely behind, or to make a hard steering maneuver when there is traffic in adjoining lanes. Do not let your mind wander or be distracted … be constantly thinking about what you will do if a deer suddenly appears in the middle of the road.
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If someone is following you too closely, just gradually slow down to let the pass, or if that is impossible to maintain a speed where their distance is adequate for them to brake without hitting you should you encounter an emergency. (In some cases this might mean your pulling off the roadway to allow an aggressive driver to pass – that is better than a whiplash.)
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This leads to the conclusion that there may be times when avoidance and braking are not the safest thing to do (e.g., in heavy traffic). Since hitting a deer might be either unavoidable or the safest thing to do under certain circumstances, other countermeasures can mitigate the crash: fasten seatbelts (loss of control is highly probable), avoid excessive speed, stay totally alert and free from distractions since the sooner you see the deer the more apt you will be to take the necessary actions to mitigate the crash.
The results of this research were presented in a paper at the Urban/Rural Interfaces Conference in Atlanta on March 16, 2005.
The participants in this research included:
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Dr. Jim Armstrong, associate professor and extension wildlife specialist, from Auburn’s School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences.
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Dr. Anwar Hussain was a Post-Doctoral fellow at the time of the research; he is now on the faculty of Mississippi State University.
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Dr. David Brown is professor of computer science and a Research Associate in the University of Alabama Center for Advanced Public Safety.
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