You probably have heard about the escaped zebras just outside Washington, D.C. They have been roaming freely for more than 50 days. The D.C. area is heavily populated, but still, the zebras have eluded animal control officials. It is probably just a matter of time until a car hits one of them.
I tell you this to highlight our problem with the Alabama version of roaming zebra, our white-tailed deer.
October to December is the most likely time a deer will run out into the road and hit a car. It is the breeding season – draw your own conclusions about the bucks’ erratic behavior. But don’t undervalue this information, the danger is serious. There will be an estimated 2,000 crashes involving deer in our state this year.
There are nearly 2 million deer in Alabama. So be on the lookout, especially at dawn and dusk when the animals are most active.
It is also a national problem. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates the number of animal-related accidents at roughly 1 million each year. These accidents result in approximately 200 deaths, 10,000 injuries, and more than $1 billion in damages.
Here are some deer-related safe driving tips:
- If you see a deer, give your horn a long blast. It can scare the deer and perhaps force it to run out of your path.
- Look for deer crossing signs. They are an excellent alert to animal activity.
- Use your high beams when you can – especially while driving in remote areas at dawn or dusk.
- And as hard as it might be, do NOT swerve to miss the deer. You are more likely to be seriously injured by hitting a guard rail or oncoming traffic than hitting the animal.
If you suffer a personal injury like an auto/truck accident, railroad accident, or slip and fall, you can talk to us at the Law Firm of Eiland and Ritchie for free. We want to help you get back on your feet.
Join us on NBC 15 LawCall here in Mobile every Sunday night at 10:30, right after the news. We are taking a fall break and will offer 5-minute segments for the rest of the year and a live call-in segment every Monday on NBC 15 at around lunchtime.
Alabama Personal Injury Lawyer