AAA warns Long Island drivers of increased deer collision risk this fall

Expect more company on the roads. AAA says there's an increased risk of deer-related crashes this time of year. News 12's Jeremy Skiba has more on the danger and what drivers need to know to stay safe. You see one, there's probably going to be more, and they can just bound out into the road unexpectedly. Deer are on the move, and AAA is warning Long Island drivers not to get caught in the headlights. I'm surprised there are an enormous amount that are roaming around here. There's been a lot of deer October and November mark peak deer mating season when the animals are more active and even less cautious around cars. Buck ran onto 347 and ran right into the door, the driver's door, and then fell down, got up and ran away. Guy got out of the truck. It was like, What happened? I'm just out of light. According to AAA, Southold led New York State with 790 deer crashes from 2021 through 2024. Brookhaven ranked 6th with 599, and Southampton 10th with 526. Most crashes happen at dawn or dusk. That's when they really come out. And again, there are certain areas that are more prevalent. AAA says drivers should slow down, scan the sides of the road, and never swerve to avoid a deer. Jamming on the brakes real hard really can be counterproductive, because when you hit the brakes hard, the front end dives. and if you hit the animal it'll tend to make the deer roll up the hood of the vehicle and through the windshield and that has happened where a person was killed a little caution could save you a whole lot of dough this fall Jeremy Skiba News 12