New Jersey drivers warned as deer mating season sends wildlife darting across busy roads

As deer enter their fall mating season, activity increases, prompting New Jersey officials to warn drivers about a heightened risk of collisions on the road.

As daylight decreases, rising hormone levels in bucks and does drive a surge in breeding activity during the peak of the season.

In light of this, officials from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection are urging drivers to use extra caution when traveling due to the increased activity near roadways.

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"Collisions with deer pose a very serious safety threat and can cause significant damage to vehicles and possible loss of life," Dave Golden, Assistant Commissioner for NJDEP Fish & Wildlife, said.

Other locations such as neighboring New York have experienced around 65,000 deer-vehicle collisions each year, with most of them occurring from October to December, according to the New York State Department of Transportation.

In fact, there are around 1.5 million deer-vehicle collisions in the U.S. each year, resulting in about 150 deaths and over $1 billion in vehicle damage, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

The average cost of a vehicle collision with a deer adds up to nearly $4,000.

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Most of the collisions happen around dusk or dawn on high-speed rural roads, so it is best to drive slowly and be aware of your surroundings along the side of a roadway.

Try using these expert tips from the New York Department of Transportation to help avoid a collision with deer during this mating season.

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