It’s a Deer-saster Out There! Deer Strikes in Massachusetts are Way Up. How To Avoid Them!
What the Buck? Deer Strikes in Massachusetts are Way Up.
It’s a deer-saster!
It’s dangerous to be on the road these days. Between cell phones and texting and general distraction, it’s bad enough.
But add Bambi to the situation? Oh deer.
More than 1,600 deer strikes were reported last year.
Deer crashes in Massachusetts between the months of October and December 2021 rose to 1,656 in 2021 — the highest total in two decades, NBC 10Boston reported.
That amounts to one deer-related crash every 80 minutes in the Bay State, with most occurring during the afternoon commute, according to AAA Northeast.
“Hitting a deer can have traumatic and devastating consequences and drivers need to be especially vigilant at this time of year,” said Mary Maguire, a spokesperson for AAA Northeast.
These are the top Massachusetts towns for deer crashes from October through December in 2021, according to AAA:
1. Middleborough: 33
2. Westport: 32
3. Taunton: 31
4. Swansea: 22
5. Bolton/Freetown/Plymouth (tie): 19
6. Westford: 17
7. Rehoboth: 16
8. Easton/Norton/Weston (tie): 15
The top Massachusetts counties for deer crashes for that same time period were:
- Bristol: 282
- Middlesex: 277
- Worcester: 261
- Plymouth: 230
- Essex: 139
AAA offers the following tips for avoiding or mitigating deer crashes:
- Scan the shoulders of the road in front of you; deer may dash out from the shoulder or wooded areas adjacent to the road.
- Follow the speed limit; keeping your speed down will give you more time to respond to unexpected wildlife movements.
- Be careful rounding curves and climbing hills where visibility is limited.
- One long blast on your horn may frighten animals away from your car if you spy them early enough.
- If you spy one deer, look out for others. Deer rarely travel alone.
- Use your high beams along dark roadways if there is no oncoming traffic.
- If a collision is unavoidable, apply the brakes firmly and try to remain in your lane and avoid other vehicles; swerving sharply can cause an even more serious crash.
