Grey Bruce Ontario Provincial Police sent out a warning this week after responding to 15 car/deer collisions in seven days.
The area detachment has responded to 25 collision in the last seven days (between Oct. 23-30), and of those, 15 have involved a vehicle colliding with a deer.
The Grey Bruce Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) have responded to 25 collisions in seven days with 15 of the collisions being a motor vehicle versus a deer.
The Grey Bruce OPP is reminding drivers of the following tips to help reduce the chances of hitting a deer:
- Be especially attentive from sunset to midnight and during the hours shortly before and after sunrise. These are the highest risk times for deer-vehicle collisions.
- Drive with caution when moving through areas known to have a large deer population. Remember - deer seldom run alone. If you see one deer, others may be nearby.
- When driving at night, use high beam headlights when there is no oncoming traffic. The high beams will better illuminate the eyes of deer on or near the roadway.
- Slow down and blow your horn with one long blast to frighten the deer away.
- Slow down. The slower you go; the more time you have to react should you encounter a deer.
- Brake firmly when you notice a deer in or near your path but stay in your lane. Many serious crashes occur when drivers swerve to avoid a deer and hit another vehicle or lose control of their cars.
- Always wear your seat belt. Most people injured in deer-vehicle crashes were not wearing their seat belt.
- Do not rely on devices such as deer whistles, deer fences and reflectors to deter deer.
