IT'S BOTH DEER & CAR SEASON
How Connecticut Drivers Can Prevent a Costly Road Accident with a Deer

Meriden, CT - November 14, 2001 - We're entering the time for wandering deer, holiday travelers and hunting season. Put them together and you can have a tragedy.
Reports indicate that annually more than 2,500 deer are killed in automobile collisions on Connecticut roads, many during this time of year when deer are mating and migrating. "Drivers need to be particularly cautious with the season's shortened daylight and deer foraging near roadsides --- it's a very dangerous combination," said Ron Licata, President of Connecticut Life & Casualty Insurance Company (CL&C). "To compound it, more drivers are on the road at dawn and dusk, the very times of day when deer are most active." An adult deer can weigh more than 200 pounds and a car striking one can not only result in the death of the deer, but incur thousands of dollars in damage and may cause the car to veer off the road into even more danger for the driver. Mr. Licata suggested a few basic cautions for drivers:

  • Deer Crossing signs are there because it has been determined that this is an area where they congregate and migrate. Take the signs seriously and, obviously, be particularly cautious in wooded and agricultural areas.
  • Slow down when approaching a deer standing near the side of a road and be prepared. If startled, it can bolt onto the roadway and into your path. If necessary, honk your horn and flash your lights to try to scare the deer.
  • Be particularly careful at dawn and dusk and when driving either over a hill or around a curve, where visibility is limited. Use your high beams to give you a greater area of visibility.
  • Be alert for more deer than you may see at that moment. Where there's one deer, there are often more nearby.

    Connecticut Life & Casualty Insurance Company has a free brochure on the subject, "Avoiding a Collision with a Deer," which can be obtained by calling their toll-free number 1-800-252-6252 or through their website: www.cl-c.com.

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