MID-HUDSON – “Deer don’t check traffic. They don’t use crosswalks and apparently their friends give awful advice!”
That’s the message on billboards placed throughout the Hudson Valley by the New York State Department of Transportation.
Deer mating season has arrived and the peaceful animals are on the move causing as many as 70,000 vehicle crashes statewide, according to the DOT with nearly half of those mishaps occurring from October through December—the deer breeding season.
The DOT noted five people are killed every season as a result of a deer-car crash.
Orange and Ulster counties are in the top 10 for deer crashes in New York State.
“A collision with a deer can be far more than an inconvenience, it can be deadly and expensive,” said Elizabeth Carey, director of public relations at AAA. “Drivers should stay alert, avoid distractions, and watch for deer and other wildlife, especially in the fall when collision risks rise.”
Jim Byron, proprietor of Patterson Auto Body in Putnam County, said his shop sees an increase of repairs each fall resulting from deer-car crashes.
Ken Stefanak of Carmel was driving along Route 301in Carmel less than a quarter mile from his home when a deer darted into the road.
“Thankfully, my family and I were not injured, but my car was badly damaged. The deer appeared out of nowhere,” he said.
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