According to AAA, deer-related car accidents were at a 20 year high in the October – December timeframe of 2021. Those three months are considered the “high hazard” season because it is the time of year when boy deer are looking for girl deer. That’s as racy as this blog gets, folks.

Most accidents happen in the evening hours which aligns with the end of work commute. Interestingly, the AAA study says the largest upswing in accidents is right after the end of daylight savings time as drivers are not yet used to the darker driving conditions. Worst month for deer-related accidents? November.

As a town, Weston came out tied for eighth place in number of accidents in those three months with 15. When you consider that the entire year of 2021 had 21 deer/car accidents, you might consider slowing down and keeping your eyes peeled for the next few weeks (and always–it is Weston, not the autobahn, after all).

The Owl’s numbers were provided by Weston Police Captain Tom Kelly. In case anyone needs to know, this year so far there have been 9 deer-car accidents but we’re just halfway through prime hazard season.

Deer-car crashes often have tragic endings, and not always just for the deer. Anyone who lived in Weston in 2017 will remember the story of a car driver in Weston being killed not because he hit the deer, but because the car in front did and the deer went up and over and into his windshield. Just awful.

For those of you who like a little refresher on driving, here are AAA’s hints on driving deer-defensively:

AAA’s tips for avoiding car crashes with deer: (hat tip to Boston.com)

• Scan the shoulders of the road, as deer often dash out from the shoulder or wooded areas next to the road
• Follow the speed limit to give you more time to respond if a deer runs across the road
• Be careful rounding curves and climbing hills where visibility is limited
• A long blast of your horn may frighten deer away if you spot them early
• If you see one deer, look out for others, as they rarely travel alone
• Use your high beams along dark roadways if there is no oncoming traffic
• If a crash is unavoidable, step firmly on the brakes, try to stay in your lane, and avoid other cars

Drive safe, Weston!