The time change this weekend also means a change in the lighting around popular commute times, and paired with mating season for deer, drivers will need to be more alert to avoid accidents with wildlife.
"As we are about to enter the peak of the deer breeding season... that causes deer to pretty much throw all caution to the wind," said Charlie Killmaster, State Deer Biologist with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. "[They're] not paying attention to where they're crossing on the roads or anything like that while bucks are chasing does around, males chasing females, and that puts them in the path of motorists."
Killmaster said ideally, commuters will be driving alert and aware without distractions as the lighting changes create a darker drive for commuters. But, he said if, for whatever reason, you are just to close to collision, there is a "right way" to handle it.
"If impact with a deer is imminent, all you need to do is apply breaks and do not swerve," Killmaster said. "Swerving is what causes the most injury and damage, because you swerve to miss the deer and end up running off the road and hitting a tree, or into another lane of traffic and hitting another car."
Killmaster said it is always better to hit the deer than hit another car, a tree, or something else, or lose control of the vehicle.
This time of year, Killmaster said fawns have outgrown their white spots, and mostly adult or teenaged deer will be out and about. The adage is true, too, if you see one, more will likely follow.
"Deer are most active at dawn and dusk," said Killmaster, "Be extra vigilant, pay close attention to roadsides, look for movement or anything that might be a deer coming out of the woods. Deer are almost always in groups, whether it's a male chasing a female or a female being followed by her offspring."
One deer on the side of the road could mean another on the opposite side, Killmaster said. "That doesn't mean that the danger has passed, you could have another deer that is focused on the deer in front of it and run out in front of you."
Once you make it home safely, you may also notice deer resting or finding a tasty snack in the yard or garden, even in the suburbs. Killmaster said feel free to just enjoy your visitors. But, if they turn landscaping into lunchtime, he encourages adding "deer resistant" plants to the mix, which are ones they don't like the taste of.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2020/10/951039/mating-season-time-change-causes-influx-of-deer-in-roadway