I never understood how so many people could hit a deer with their car. What's wrong with those people? I used to ask. Then I moved to Sussex County. After living here for more than half my life I totally understand. A deer accident has caused serious damage to my vehicle 4 times over the last 20 years. I've lost track of how many close calls I've had. Driving to work in the early morning when it's still very dark increases the chance of having an accident involving a deer. Another factor is deer mating season which is going on right now. During the "rutting" season male deer are more interested in looking for a female than looking both ways before crossing a highway. Sometimes they just stand in the middle of the road and don't move! Now here are the latest statistics from the New Jersey Department of Transportation. In 2019 more than 5,600 dead deer had to be removed from state and interstate highways in New Jersey. Last year that total increased to over 6,200. That doesn't include dead deer that had to be removed from county or municipal roads. Monmouth and Burlington Counties have the most car vs. deer accidents. In our area Wayne made the top 10 with 55 crashes in 2019. Take your time and be careful out there please.
Source: NJ.COM
Photo: Getty Images