USA Today reported this week about the dangers of driving during the month of November – – for one specific reason – – the high number of deer that wander out to roads. For those who grew or live in rural areas, they are familiar with large amount of deer that pop out of the woods this time of year. late October through early December is mating season for North American deer, reports Rob Found, a biologist from the University of Alberta, in Edmonton. “Males are so focused on mating, they’re not thinking straight,” Found says. “They’re looking for mates and for other males to fight.”
This can be very dangerous for people driving at night, and sadly could have been the cause of a serious truck accident that killed seven people in Indiana last week.
For the fifth year in a row, West Virginia tops the list of states where a driver is most likely to run into a deer, State Farm reports. The other states in the top 10 are Iowa, South Dakota, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Montana, Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota and Wyoming. State Farm reports that the number of deer/car collisions has actually decreased the past three years, likely because of the economy and people driving fewer miles. However, over the five-year period 2005-09, 1,017 people died in vehicle-animal collisions, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. In a 2004 study, IIHS found that 60% of people who died in such crashes in automobiles were not wearing seat belts.
The questions remains as to the best way to avoid these types of car crashes. Professor Found performed a study which showed a dramatic decrease in the number of accidents in areas that have warning signs posted regarding possible dear crossings. The study showed that collisions dropped from 139 cases the previous year to 78 citywide once the signs were in place. “Our study showed that warning signs really do reduce deer-vehicle collisions,” Found says.
If you or someone you love has been involved in a Chicago car accident or Chicago truck accident, then call Chicago personal injury attorney Aaron Bryant for a free consultation at 312-588-3384. Or go to the firm website at www.blgchicago.com.