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News Release

For immediate use

Oct. 13, 2004 -- No. 497

N.C. deer crashes leaped
upwards of 9.4% in 2003

CHAPEL HILL – Crashes involving deer last year in North Carolina rose more than 9.4 percent from 2002, according to an analysis of N.C. motor vehicle accident records by the University of North Carolina Highway Safety Research Center.

Almost 60 percent of all deer-related crashes occurred in the Piedmont. Wake County topped the list with 919 deer mishaps. Other counties with high rates included Duplin, Rockingham, Guilford and Johnston. Graham and Jackson counties had the lowest deer crash rates with only two each recorded in 2003.

Of the total reported 2003 automobile crashes in North Carolina, police cited deer as a factor in 6.6 percent, up from 6.3 percent in 2002.

"While a crash involving a deer can happen at any time, drivers should be particularly careful both in the early morning hours and the early evening hours," said Dr. Doug Robertson, director of the Highway Safety Research Center. "Almost 80 percent of deer-related crashes in 2003 occurred between the hours of 6 p.m. and 6 a.m."

White-tailed deer can be seen on the move around state roadways any time of year, Robertson said. Yet 50 percent of all deer-related crashes in North Carolina occurred during October, November and December. Deer are particularly restless and agitated during these months since they include both mating and hunting seasons.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2000, about 247,000 reported crashes involved a motor vehicle hitting an animal on the highway. Of those crashes, 86.9 percent involved a collision with a deer. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that between 2001 and 2002, 26,647 people in the United States received non-fatal injuries in animal-related crashes and were treated in hospital emergency departments. Annually in the United States, NHTSA estimates show that about 200 human fatalities result from crashes involving animals.

The UNC Highway Safety Research Center offers the following tips to reduce the risk of a crash with a deer:

· Slow down. In areas with a large deer population, or where there are deer warning signs, drivers should reduce their speed.

· Always wear your seat belt. It's your best protection from injuries in a crash.

· Watch for eyes reflecting in your headlights. Try to look far down the road and scan the roadsides, especially when driving past fields, heavily wooded areas or posted deer crossing areas. The sooner a driver sees a deer on or approaching a road, the better the chances of avoiding a crash.

· Remember that deer travel in herds. If you see one deer cross the road in front of you, don't assume that all is clear. Deer herds can be fairly large, and the animals often move one right behind the other.

· Don’t place confidence in "deer whistles" or other "ultra-sonic" devices that claim to prevent deer collisions.

· Maintain control of your vehicle. It’s critical not to lose control or veer into the path of an oncoming vehicle to avoid contact with an animal. Loss of control usually results in a more serious crash.

"Figures reflect the total number of reported deer-related crashes," Robertson said. "There is evidence that a great many more of these crashes occur than are reported to law enforcement agencies."

The full report containing source information and data for all N.C. counties is available at www.hsrc.unc.edu.

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Highway Safety Research Center Contact: Katy Jones, (919) 843-7007

News Services Contact: David Williamson, (919) 962-8596