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BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — Massachusetts drivers should be keeping their eyes wide open as we head into winter. The days are getting shorter, the roads more treacherous, and one of the largest land mammals in the state is out and about. Deer strikes rise sharply during mating season in the late fall and early winter, according to a AAA analysis.
Last year, drivers in Massachusetts slammed into a deer once every two hours on average between the months of October and December, AAA said. Most of those crashes happened between the hours of 6:00 to 8:00 PM. Peak mating season is between November 6 and 20 in Massachusetts.
Mary Maguire of AAA Northeast said the deer are "Looking for love in all the wrong places." She hit a deer herself about three weeks ago, and despite hitting her brakes fast, she caused $5000 worth of damage to her car.
In an unavoidable crash, she says swerving to try to get around the deer is actually more dangerous, because the likelihood of hitting a tree, pole, or oncoming traffic is so high.
Drivers in that situation should hit the brakes as soon as they can and see if they can stop short before the deer.
The South Coast town of Westport had the most deer crashes last year with 24, followed by Andover with 21, Middleborough at 18, New Bedford with 17, and tied for fifth place, Plymouth and Bellingham with 16 apiece.
WBZ's Matt Shearer (@MattWBZ) reports:
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