YORK COUNTY, NC (WBTV) -
Deer are on the move this time of year. They especially like rural stretches of road, like those found in York County.
Just this past Saturday, a York County Sheriff's Deputy was on patrol along Shannon Street near York when a deer darted our in front of the patrol car.
The picture attached to this story is from the deputy's dash cam. The dash cam shows the deer get up and run into the woods.
There was minor damage to the patrol car, and the deputy was not hurt.
"It could have been a pretty dangerous situation," York County Sheriff's Office PIO Trent Faris said. "It's that time of year where deer are on the move. Hunters are out there hunting them. They're on edge.
In light of this weekend's incident, York County Sheriff Bruce Bryant released the following safety tips:
- Be aware of road signs warning of deer crossing hazards
- Slow down on rural roads both during the day and nighttime hours. Slower speeds increase reaction time if a deer crosses in front of the car
- It's better to hit the deer than to lose control of your vehicle and potentially cause a more serious crash trying to avoid the deer
Faris believes drivers should always be on the lookout for deer.
"A deer can pop out during the day too just as well during the night," Faris said. "And just slow down and give yourself that reactionary time to hit the brakes if you see a deer on the side of the road or if it darts out in front of you."
Tuesday, State Farm released its annual deer-vehicle collision study.
The study found drivers in North Carolina are 21st in the nation in terms of crashes involving deer. That means drivers have a 1 in 135 chance of colliding with a deer.
The 2012 ranking is down from 2011, when North Carolina drivers came in at number 19.
South Carolina drivers have a slightly higher risk. The study found S.C. drivers have a 1 in 126 likelihood of hitting a deer. The state ranks 18, down from 17 in 2011.
State Farm's study also found the number of deer-related crashes in the U.S. has increased 7.7% in the last year, after a three-year period where the number dropped 2.2%.
State Farm offers the following safety tips:
- Deer generally travel in herds - if you see one, there are likely others nearby
- Be aware of posted deer crossing signs
- Deer are most active during twilight hours - between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m.
- Use high beam headlights as much as possible to better light the road
- It is better to hit the deer than to have a worse crash while trying to avoid the deer
- Don't rely on car-mounted deer whistles
Nationwide, drivers in West Virginia are most likely to hit a deer, and drivers in Hawaii are least likely.
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