Drivers Beware – It’s Peak Season For Deer On NJ Roads

If you drive the Garden State Parkway, you may have recently noticed the warnings on the highway's electronic signs alerting drivers to the heightened activity of deer this time of year.

Especially if you drive the Garden State Parkway through Monmouth and Ocean Counties, you've almost certainly seen lots of deer on the side (or even median) of the roadway plenty of times.

It's all because fall is the peak of mating season for deer, and they don't care what's between them and a potential mate, even if it's a 6-lane highway.

And it's through the stretches of highway in our neck of the woods (pun intended) that driving is the most precarious when it comes to deer.

In fact, a NJ.com report says that in 2018 (the most recent year that data is available for), the most deer vs. car accidents in New Jersey were in Monmouth County, to the tune of 572 crashes in just the three month span of October through December.

Ocean County was #5 on the list, with 392 reported crashes, with Burlington County (538), Somerset County (406), Middlesex County (396), and Morris County (356) filling in the top six.

According to AAA Mid-Atlantic, the most active time for deer is at dawn and dusk, with dusk falling during the heart of the afternoon rush this time of year.

Consumer Reports put out a list of safety tips to keep in mind, suggestions from slowing down and staying alert, to keeping in mind that if you see one deer there are probably more nearby.

Another important piece of advice from Consumer Reports, especially when we're talking about multi-lane highways - "brake, don't swerve". When you're on a highway like the Garden State Parkway, a sudden swerve could quickly become a multi-car wreck.

You can click here to read the full article from Consumer Reports.