Drivers beware: fall is a heightened time for deer-vehicle collisions in Oregon and other parts of the Pacific Northwest.
The Oregon Department of Transportation says it records more than 6,000 collisions between cars and deer every year, though that number is probably higher due to unreported cases.
Beth Quillian is the public information officer for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. She told KLCC that October and November are very active times for deer and elk migration and breeding.
“This puts them on the move, makes them more likely to cross roads," she said. "So you couple that with fewer daylight hours, and our rainy weather, and reduced driver visibility, that makes the likelihood of a vehicle collision peak.”
Quillian said it’s important to be aware of wildlife on the roads, and to be prepared to slow down. Many crashes happen after someone swerves to miss a deer.
Members of the public can salvage roadkill with a permit. In the case of an injured animal, local police or the Oregon State Police can be called. In a recent instance on Spencer Butte in Eugene, a young deer hit by a morning commuter had to be put down.
