What are some tips to avoid deer collisions?

[u/Substantial_Sea7327]

[u/-BirdDogActual]

Slow down and pay attention.

[u/Kudzupatch → u/-BirdDogActual]

SLOW DOWN is the answer!

We deal with them every day.

[u/Metroid_Whisperer → u/-BirdDogActual]

This is the best answer!

[u/GuvnaBruce]

Be aware when you are in places that they could be crossing. However, one thing I will say is that you do not ever want to take drastic evasive action which then causes something worse. If you see a deer, swerve and miss the deer but hit a tree, that is an at fault collision claim. Hitting the deer is a comprehensive claim which is not usually chargeable against the policy.

[u/Affectionate-Act6127 → u/GuvnaBruce]

Also not taking the idiotic advise to not using your brakes.  

There are plenty of people that will tell you with a straight face to not brake, since the car will nose dive, and cause the deer to go onto the hood and through the windshield.  

[u/Pseudo_OSF → u/Affectionate-Act6127]

Probably from the same cops who try and explain what no fault insurance is.

[u/phantomsoul11 → u/Affectionate-Act6127]

Deer aren’t that big and will likely be caught by your windshield, even if it shatters.

Moose are worse and far more dangerous to hit at highway speed

[u/phantomsoul11 → u/GuvnaBruce]

To add to this, don’t ever swerve into the oncoming lane to avoid a deer. Sure they can look cute but their frantic behavior isn’t worth compromising your safety over.

[u/Humunguspickle]

Be alert and stay on the road. Hold your lane. Usually if you see one deer they aren’t alone.
My wife hit one and then got two more same time.

[u/Flimsy-Wrangler-997]

When the trees are close to the pavement on both sides, I am much more alert to the sides of the road, especially on my motorcyle.

[u/Broad_Ambassador]

Learn to scan the road and sides of the road ahead of you and don’t drive too fast. You can see their eyes flash in your headlights if you pay attention, even when it’s too dark to see their bodies. Sometimes you might get tricked by a mailbox reflector but that’s ok.

[u/IamNotTheMama]

There's only one sure way, drive where there are no deer.

[u/SkittyDog → u/IamNotTheMama]

Deer have LEGS, dude. Places that have no deer today, could have deer tomorrow.

[u/IamNotTheMama → u/SkittyDog]

whooooooooosh

[u/Fixer_24_7]

Slow down, use your brights when you can. Hunting season, crop harvest, warm night in a cold season always get the deer moving.

[u/Gweedo1967 → u/Fixer_24_7]

Don’t you dare turn those brights on. The Reddit brightlight haters will hunt you down.

[u/LordNewning]

Always use your high beams except when you absolutely can't.

[u/Deep-Conclusion4543]

Avoid traveling during "wildlife hours", at dawn and at dusk.

[u/FeelsLikeV97-33XA]

When you see one you can be like 75% sure there's another one (or three) that you just haven't seen yet.

[u/voxpopper]

Don't salt your car.

[u/drjenkstah]

Pay attention when entering deer crossing areas. 

[u/jfraser95_1]

Don't drive.

[u/winter83]

This is what I've do in my years of driving in a deer heavy area. If they aren't actively running in the road don't slam on your breaks when you see them just standing at the side of the road. I've been with so many people who see a deer and slam on the breaks and the noise spooks them and then they run. I always just keep driving and they have always just stood there. But if they are actually running stop.

[u/Gweedo1967]

Walk

[u/Human_Name9961]

It’s that time of year. Keep eye ope.

[u/phantomsoul11]

Watch for movement along the side of the road. Mailboxes and wand markers for snow plows don’t move. Deer do.

[u/chuckfr]

Deer whistles seem to work for me.

[u/frikkenkids → u/chuckfr]

There is no reason to think that deer can hear any sound they may be emitting, and even less reason to think that IF a deer heard a sound that it would know it had to get off the road.

Lisa Simpson has an anti-tiger rock for sale, though, if you're interested.

[u/N4bq → u/chuckfr]

I had a friend that owned a salvage yard near Yellowstone Park. We were looking through the yard and he was pointing out all of the cars totalled by deer and elk. Half of them had deer whistles on the front bumper.

[u/phatdoughnut83 → u/chuckfr]

Lmfao I came on here to make that joke because my dad SWORE by them in the late 90’s early 2000’s.

[u/chrallre]

Avoid backroads at night during travel, even if the route is much shorter

[u/MzOpinion8d]

There’s almost never just one. If you see one, there are more.

[u/LeapYearGirl155]

Going to hit them try to hit them in the rear not the front

[u/Quirky_OldMan5966]

Most important, don’t overdrive your headlights. If you couldn’t preform an emergency stop within the range you can see, you’re going too fast.

Most people that hit a deer either were going too fast, or distracted and didn’t see it until too late.

I’ve never hit one, but my last near miss the deer crossed across in front of me to safety and just as I slowed enough to stop it panicked and darted back across in front of me again.

[u/Lazy_Phrase7310]

Slow down. Pay attention to your surroundings.

[u/Hitechillbilly]

There are electronic devices that seem to work well. I drive at night through the forest on a regular basis. Without it, I see deer in the road all the time and have way too many "close calls" I even hit a couple causing a lot of damage. , with it I never see the deer at night..