The Personal Blog Of
Boston Motorcycle Lawyer

Beware of Deer
June 2, 2010

There are many things on the road that a motorcyclist can stumble upon and crash into. Some are inconspicuous, like traitorous bumps or uneven patches of asphalt, while others are laid out in plain view, yet suddenly unavoidable, like a glorious stunned deer staring at your headlights.

There are traps and hazards on every mile, whether it is a city street, interstate highway, or a picturesque country road. And since motorcyclists are especially vulnerable to crashes, inattentiveness can cost you a serious injury, and even death.

Nature can pounce on you in unexpected ways, so it’s good to keep a few things in mind before going on a ride.

- Expect to see wild life on the road.

When you’re riding country roads, especially in New England, be prepared to see some beautiful beast of nature trying to cross lanes seemingly totally oblivious of oncoming traffic. Remember, more than one life can be wasted in a moment of mutual inattentiveness.

Wildlife, especially deer, can cause major car and motorcycle crashes. While smaller animals are easier to avoid, and in the worst-case scenario, easier to run over, deer pose a greater hazard to the lives of unwary motorcyclists and motorists.

- Know your wildlife.

It never hurts to know a little more about nature, but in this case, it’s good to focus on a few facts about deer behavior at different times of day and seasons.

Demure and darling, these gorgeous animals are cautious by nature, yet have been known to suddenly leap on the roads and startle drivers and bikers. Since they like to feed on tree leaves, they can often be seen in forested areas or river beds all across New England. Deer also like fresh grass, so they can even come up to the side of the road to munch on lush roadside grass (kept thick and green due to regular mowing by the highway department).  

Knowing their feeding habits, you shouldn’t be surprised to see deer grazing along the shoulder of the road, especially in shady areas.

Usually, during the daytime, if a deer is feeding it will have its head down - at a casual glance it can easily be mistaken for a log, or a mossy boulder. However, as they are cautious of predators, they prefer to feed at dusk or dawn, unlike their close relatives – the elk, moose and the antelope, who can be seen feeding in plain view at broad daylight.

This means that deer strikes are more likely to occur when there is limited visibility. So, keep your eyes peeled at before sunrise or after sunset.

Another thing to keep in mind is that deer doesn’t reflect much light, except with its eyes, which makes it difficult to tell if the brilliant white spots reflected from your headlight are on a post or on a deer. One way to tell the difference is to see if the reflected light is steady. Deer blinks, road posts do not. So, chances are, if you see a reflected light winking at you, it’s coming from a deer that’s facing you.

It’s also helpful to know that deer are social creatures, so if you see one, chances are there are at least two more nearby. Deer can often move in groups of 3 – these can be does with twins, who stay with their mom for over a year. They can even stay with her while she is busy raising the new set of fawns .

Also, depending on the season, deer can also move in larger groups. They seek higher elevations in the spring, and move down to lower lands in the fall. Often times, their migration routes cross with highways and smaller roads. In areas where that occurs you’ll see Deer Migration signs, which takes me to the next point:

- Respect signs with animals on the road.

For example, Deer Crossing signs were put up there for a reason. If a part of the road has a consistently higher number of deer –related collisions, the highway department will put up a sign to warn drivers and bikers of the danger.

When you see these signs, slow down and pay attention to your surroundings. Reducing the speed would allow you to have time to react. The rest is up to the deer.

Note: If you think you’ll be slowing down the traffic behind you, let them pass first. There is no point in rushing like mad through the night when you are in deer country just because you’re annoyed with tailgaters.

- When you spot a deer, hit the brakes.

Deer react to proximity. Even if your motorcycle is loud, and the deer clearly sees you, you can never count on the deer to leap away from your approaching motorcycle. A deer feeding may simply pop their head up to see what’s going on, and if it judges that you’re not close enough, it can continue feeding without much distress – before it’s too late.

Yes, deer can leap unexpectedly. When you come up to 60 feet from the deer, it can jump in a pretty startling way. Keep in mind: the deer’s first leap is in whatever direction it is facing – even towards you. They first go straight ahead, then jump away in a zigzag pattern.

So – don’t go too fast and be prepared to brake.

Swerving doesn’t help much when you are trying to avoid deer on the road – remember the unpredictable retreating pattern, and the possibility of more than one deer present. Your best shot is to simply brake.

Deer collisions can cause great damage to any vehicle, especially motorcycles. While drivers may walk away from such an accident uninjured, motorcyclists are much more in danger of sustaining serious injuries, and even losing their lives.

The most recent motorcycle/deer crash in New England took away the life of a 20-year-old motorcyclist from Merrimack, NH. The crash occurred in the early morning hours – - – when deer like to feed by the side of the road.