Deer Mating Season Driving Tips

You've probably seen these signs on the Garden State Parkway and other local roadways in the past week or two, and it's a good reminder to always stay alert when on the roads, especially at night.

If you travel the Garden State Parkway regularly, you've probably seen the colonies of deer that live in the wooded areas between the northbound and southbound lanes around the Asbury toll plaza, the Forked River rest stop, and plenty of other mid-roadway woods along the state's longest highway.

As we move into the heart of deer mating season, reports say that car-deer collisions go up more than threefold as we head further into fall.

Here are a few things to keep in mind as we move through October and November:

When you see one, there are usually more. Seeing a single deer on the side of the road usually means that its got some friends nearby.
Don't slam on your brakes. It can be really hard not to let instinct take over and jam on your brake pedal, but slamming on your brakes or swerving could end up creating a bad multi-car crash. Especially on a roadway like the Parkway.
Peak times are dusk to dawn, but they can be out any time.

And let's keep in mind the most important thing here - we should always be cautious and alert on the roads! Especially on our mega-highways where a lot of commuters are driving at a high rate of speed.

On roads where disaster can only be a lane away, this is another good reminder that paying attention and observing the laws can literally save your life and the lives of others.

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