Deer are in the headlights all over the United States. It’s mating season and the animals are on the move, making fall the peak time for deer-vehicle accidents. The danger is not restricted to country roads. You could be the victim of a head-on collision with a deer, or a car avoding a deer, when you least expect it.

There are about 150 deaths and 1.6 million collisions with deer in the U.S. every year. Urban sprawl and a growing deer population are the causes. Displaced animals are showing up in locations that once were deer habitat. They have been seen on busy highways and interstates near cities and towns and in suburban neighborhoods.

The Insurance Information Institute says the average collision with a deer costs about $3,000. Nationwide, the annual cost is nearly $4.6 billion when medical costs and out-of-pocket expenses are included.

Here are some safetry tips for city dwellers unaccustomed to seeing deer on roads and a refresher for rural drivers who encounter them every fall:

Deer often travel in groups. If you see one, there are probably more in the vicinity. Not only that, deer are unpredictable. They often dart right into traffic.

Drivers and their passengers should always wear seat belts. Motorcycle riders should always wear helmets. More than half of the people killed in deer-related collisions were not wearing seat belts or helmets. Use high beams to illuminate annimals’ eyes at night if there is no on-coming traffic. Be especially vigilant from sunset to midnight and shortly before or after sunrise or sunset. These are the high risk times for accidents with deer. Brake firmly if you see a deer but stay in your lane. Accidents often happen when drivers swerve into the path of an on-coming vehicle to miss a deer or lose contrl of their car after seeing or hitting one. If you hit a deer do not touch it. it could hurt you. Call the police if it is blocking the road.

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