Drivers Beware!
'Tis the season. Have you seen the warning signs for deer?
October and November are the peak months when deer are out and about and darting onto our roadways.
Here are a couple of things to keep in mind:
1. Deer usually don't hang out alone. So even if you see that you avoided one that ran across the road, slow down anyway because chances are there will be a few more in the herd that will follow.
2. Deer are not always deterred by headlights and car horns. Sometimes they will just keep doing what they are doing regardless of how you are trying to warn them to get out of your way.
3. Be careful not to react to a deer in the road by slamming on your brakes or swerving into another lane-- you could, well, DIE if you aren't sure the lane next to you is clear or that there isn't a car right behind you that will slam into you if you stop short or swerve.
4. Don't speed. Hahahahaha. We're in NJ, so I know the chances of you NOT speeding are slim....but still...if you want to stand a chance of not destroying your car by hitting a deer, you have a better shot if you aren't going over the speed limit.
5. The deer are not always where you expect them to be. Feels like homes and buildings are outnumbering wooded areas here at the Jersey Shore, so you might be surprised at where you see a deer pop out of. I was on Rt. 35 near Whole Foods when a family of deer, on a sunny afternoon, darted right in front of my car on a very busy highway in broad daylight, to get to a lone tree in front of a building on the other side of the road. Deer don't always wait for the dark and quiet of late-nights to come out and feed.
6. In the dark, use your brights when possible.