Deer Crashes on Rise in Alabama

Josh Dodd was traveling home last year, the same Alabama route he has taken countless times on Lauderdale 7, when a deer ran onto the road.

Instinctively, he dodged to avoid colliding with the deer. His car went off the roadway, through a ditch and hit a fence.

“I was less than a half-mile from my house,” the University of North Alabama senior said. “I had seen them cross the road before and I was aware that they cross the road there and I was watching out.

“But it still didn’t prepare me for when it came out right at me. It was right on me before I knew what was happening.”

Dodd wasn’t injured but the crash damaged his car.

Deer-related crashes are a growing problem throughout Alabama and the nation. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there are about 1.5 million deer-vehicle collisions annually.

The accidents caused 150 deaths and more than $1 billion in property damage, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration report notes.

“We’ve seen several vehicles coming in each year that have collided with deer,” said Johnny Simpson, owner of Simpson’s Body Shop on Broadway Street in Florence. “There are times when we’ll have three to four in the shop at a time. It’s gotten to the point where it’s a regular thing.”

During the fall and winter months, officials warn drivers to be aware of their surroundings to avoid deer collisions.

“They’re not just in rural areas anymore,” Russellville Police Chief Chris Hargett said. “I almost hit (a deer) the other day while I was on Summit Street. So, (the deer) are moving into the residential areas because of residential growth.”

Lt. Thomas Bates, of the Quad-Cities state trooper post, said troopers work quite a few accidents each year that involve deer.

“With the residential areas expanding, you’re seeing more and more deer in the city limits, but they are still out on the highways,” Bates said.

Officials with the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety say urban sprawl into the deer’s natural habitat contributes to the increased number of accidents involving deer.

Simpson agrees.

“There’s no place for them to go, so they move more and cross roadways,” he said.

He said deer are “regular customers” at locations such as Chisholm Road, Cox Creek Parkway and Cloverdale Road.

Matt Adams said the number of accidents are likely to increase as winter approaches.

“The colder it gets, the more the deer move and the more you’re going to see accidents,” said Adams, owner of Adams Auto Body in Rogersville.

“Last year, which was colder than this year, we were (repairing) four or five (vehicles) a week,” Adams said. “As it gets colder and then stays cold, we’ll see more. Right now, we’ll get a couple every week or so.”

Simpson said deer can do a lot of damage to a vehicle. He said most of the damage is usually to the front, side or windshield.

“And you can almost bet if a car hits a deer, there’s going to be some secondary damage somewhere on the vehicle,” Simpson said.

Johnny Miles, owner of Johnny’s Body Shop in Petersville, said he had about 30 vehicles in his shop in 2009 that were damaged by collisions with deer.

“It’s that time of year, and typically, we’ll get several every year,” Miles said. “From now until February, we usually get busy with crashes involving deer.

“With it getting colder and hunting season opening, there’s more pressure on them and they’re on the move more.”

Dodd said last year’s accident is constantly on his mind. He said from time to time he has seen several deer, maybe up to five at a time, in the pastures on the side of the road.

“I’m just glad that many didn’t cross that night (of the accident). I wouldn’t have been able to avoid them all,” he said. “I try to watch out for them more than ever now.”