Springfield, IL –– Citing an increase in
deer-vehicle collisions of more than 9 percent over the previous
year, state officials on Friday reminded motorists that autumn
is the busiest season for these crashes as deer seek mates and
food sources.
“Collisions between vehicles and deer occur
throughout the year, but deer are more active during the fall
and motorists on country roads, interstate highways and even
urban thoroughfares need to be on the lookout,” said Joel
Brunsvold, Director of DNR. “Be especially cautious near areas
where deer are likely to be present, such as wooded areas,
stream and creek beds, farm field edges, and parks or forest
preserves.”
Last year 25,660 deer-vehicle accidents were
reported in the state, up from 23,645 the year before, according
to statistics compiled by the Illinois Department of
Transportation. The number of deer-vehicle collisions has risen
in five of the last six years.
“Wild deer are found everywhere in Illinois, and
with more and more vehicles on the road, especially during busy
commuting times in the morning and evening when deer are most
active, drivers should slow down and be cautious,” said Timothy
W. Martin, Secretary of the Illinois Department of
Transportation.
The top 10 Illinois counties for deer-vehicle
accidents in 2003 were:
Cook - 918
Pike - 669
Lake - 627
McHenry - 603
Sangamon - 597
Kane - 557
Will - 549
Madison - 540
Peoria - 508
LaSalle - 480
Among the suggestions for motorists to avoid
deer-vehicle accidents:
-
Be especially cautious at dusk through the
early evening and in the hours before sunrise when deer are
most active.
-
Keep track of locations where deer have been
seen in the past to avoid being surprised by deer crossings.
-
Reduce speed and be prepared to stop on roads
where deer may be present, especially areas near streams or
rivers, farm field edges, wooded and densely vegetated
areas.
-
Be mindful that several others may follow a
single deer near a road.
-
Deer may cross the roadway and double back
across the road. Make sure deer have moved away before
proceeding.
-
Drivers encountering deer on the roadway
should try flashing their headlights from bright to dim or
honking the horn on their vehicle to try to encourage the
deer to move on.
-
Alert other motorists to the presence of deer
by tapping the brakes.
- Avoid swerving into oncoming traffic or off the road if deer
are on the roadway - slow to a stop and wait for the deer to
move along.
-
If a deer-vehicle accident does occur, drivers
and passengers involved should provide assistance to anyone
injured. Contact local, county or state law enforcement - do
not attempt to remove a dead or injured deer from a busy
roadway. Illinois law requires all accidents resulting in
damage of $500 or more to be reported and an accident report
to be filed with the police.
-
The driver involved in an accident involving a
deer may take possession of the deer. If the driver does not
want the deer, any Illinois resident may claim the animal.
Anyone possessing the deer must keep a personal record of
the date the deer was claimed, the sex of the animal, the
location of the accident, and the place where the deer or
deer parts are stored. This information must be kept until
the deer is consumed or no longer in the possession of any
person. This information must be provided to any law
enforcement officer investigating the death and possession
of the deer.
-
Those taking possession of vehicle-killed deer
are not required to phone in a report and obtain a
registration number for the deer unless the deer is taken to
a taxidermist or tannery. If the deer is to be taken to a
taxidermist or tannery, please call the IDNR Office of Law
Enforcement at 217/782-6431 to obtain a tag before
delivering the deer.
