Last time, we mentioned some of the dangers posed by fall weather and driving conditions, which included low sun angles blinding drivers to slippery road conditions caused by early morning frost and wet leaves on the road.
Another concern for drivers in Pennsylvania during the October, November and December are deer on the roadway. There are thousands of deer in the woods and hills of Pennsylvania and with the mating season, they become more active.
For motorists fall also increases the risk of deer-vehicle collisions because dawn and dusk are the most active time for deer and it matches up to the primary drive time of most commuters as the days grow shorter.
For motorists fall also increases the risk of deer-vehicle collisions because dawn and dusk are the most active time for deer and it matches up to the primary drive time of most commuters as the days grow shorter.
This exposes more drivers to deer movements and the risk of car accidents increases. Drivers should watch the shoulders of roads and areas where trees and fields meet highways. Remember, deer often travel in a herd, so if you see one or two deer near a road, you should slow down and carefully watch for others.
The mating season also makes them more erratic and less predictable in their movements. If they should dart in front of your vehicle, experts recommend that you not try to swerve to avoid a possible collision. You risk losing control and the possibility of flipping your car.
Rollovers are particularly dangerous, as your roof could be crushed or you could be ejected from the vehicle. The other danger is that you could swerve into the other lane of traffic and risk a head on collision with another car or running off the road and hitting a tree.
Given the expense of even a minor crash involving a full-grown deer, driving cautiously can save your thousands of dollars of insurance expense and prevent the worst-case scenario, a fatal deer collision where the animal crashes through the windshield.
Justdrivepa.org, “Fall Driving,” accessed October 9, 2014