It is that time of the year where we start hearing about a lot of deer crashes. The Minnesota State Patrol put out a Facebook post the other day that reminds drivers that deer are active, so we need to practice safe driving.

As many of us learned in drivers education, you do not want to swerve to miss the deer. For your safety and other drivers on the road, it is best to slow down and hit the animal. I know... easier said than done. Defensive driving is the key when there is a chance you might see a deer. Here are nine tips the Minnesota Department of Public Saftey put out to help decrease your chances of hitting a deer.

  1. ALWAYS wear your seatbelt
  2. Drive at safe speeds for the road conditions 
  3. When driving through areas where you know deer are active, use your high beam headlights when safe 
  4. Nighttime is when deer are most active. Be more cautious when you are driving between 6 pm and 9 pm 
  5. Always assume that a deer is going to cross the road even if there is a deer fence or deer whistles
  6. Be on the lookout for reflective eyes and deer silhouettes in the distance. If you see something suspicious, slow down and drive with caution until you have determined it safe to return to normal speeds.
  7. When driving near cornfields or forest land be on the lookout for deer all the time. They tend to call those places home.
  8. Deer are animals and we can't read their minds a lot of times. If a deer is standing in the road, stop and honk your horn to try and get it to pass. If they are on the side of the road be aware that they will cross at any moment. NEVER PASS A DEER!
  9. Not all deer crashes result in the death of the deer. If you see a freshly hit animal, don't assume it is dead. There is a chance that it can get up and try to run... which could cause another accident. It's best to call law enforcement to come help.

Hopefully, these deer tips will keep you safe this year! Just an extra word of advice from a wise man in my life (my dad) ... an extra half of a second could save your life! Stay safe friend!

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