There seem to be fewer accidents involving deer on Wisconsin roads as the number of motorists on the road has reduced considerably as part of the cost cutting measures and to cut down on gas prices. Even motorists are cutting down on their speed and are no longer stepping up on the gas pedal as the wish to consume less fuel. All of this has resulted in fewer casualties and the deer seem to be much safer now.
Most residents who have grown up in Wisconsin will have at a couple of incidents to narrate where they would have applied brakes all of a sudden just in time to avoid hitting a deer in the middle of the road. Most motorists agree that they have hit a deer or are sure to hit one in their lifetime.
State Patrol Major Dan Lonsdorf has stated that motorists drive more slowly now to cut down on gas as well as be safe and that seems to have resulted in fewer crashes. In the last ten years between 2000 and 2010 the number of vehicle crashes dropped by around 22.4% in Wisconsin according to the data from the Department of Transportation. The numbers fell from 139,510 to 108,282. The number of crashes that involved deer in 2000 was at 20,468 and that has now fallen to 16,921 in 2010. So, there has been a 17% drop in the number of hits.
As per the rules drivers are supposed to report deer crashes to insurance companies and file a report with the police or with the DOT if there is any damage to the vehicle that will cost more than $1,000. But according to Lonsdorf only half of these crashes are reported. Most crashes are not reported to the police because the motorists don’t want to see them on their driving record.
Although, the number of deer crashes seem to have declined it really does not offer any solace to those who are involved with the deer crashes and the subsequent insurance claims and repairs following a crash.
These deer-vehicle crashes seem to be more common during fall when the deer run across highways when they go looking for their mates. Henry Yach runs an auto repair business in the Rib Mountain area. His is a family run business since 1955 and he states that the business is brisk especially during fall because of the increase in number of deer-vehicle crashes.
