Oh deer! There’s been lots of collisions lately

There’s been a rash of collisions in the Killaloe area lately – and it’s costing big bucks. 

Killaloe OPP says officers have, over the past week, responded to 14 collisions in which deer have damaged vehicles. 

Police say, if you spot an animal on the road ahead, stay in control, reduce your speed as much as possible and steer in a straight direction. They also advise you to not change direction quickly as this increases your risk of losing control. This also increases the likelihood of sustaining greater damage to your vehicle and serious injury.

Some other helpful hints from police to ensure a safe journey are as follows:

• Scan the ditches and not just the road ahead of you. You may spot deer or other wildlife approaching the road, and be able to take precautions;
• Where you see one deer, expect more;
• Slow down. The slower you go, the more time you have to react should you encounter any wildlife on the roadway;
• Wildlife can move across roads at any time of the day or night;
• Watch for glowing eyes at night;
• Don’t veer for animals. Reduce your speed quickly, steer straight, and stay in control;
• Don’t be distracted behind the wheel; and,
• Ensure you are wearing your seatbelt. If you need to stop in a hurry, you want your body restrained to prevent unnecessary injury or possibly death.