With many of the deer-car crashes occurring in December, officials are reminding drivers across the county to keep an eye out for deer on the road. “The pre-dawn hours and the dusk hours are the most critical times, so we encourage people to be particularly vigilant in those hours watching along the roadsides,” Bryson said. Once again this winter, Rochester Hills administrators, with the support of the City Council, have worked alongside the Deer Management Advisory Committee to install movable signs with the message “Deer Crash Area, Use Caution” in deer hot spots across the city through Jan. 1. The city’s hot spots include Adams, Tienken, Livernois, Walton Boulevard, Avon, Rochester Road, John R and M-59. “That’s where we concentrate on having these signs out, just to bring extra awareness to drivers that these are high deer-car crash areas,” Barno said. Erin McDonough, the executive director of the Insurance Alliance of Michigan, said deer are more active in the early winter, especially at dawn and dusk, so it’s really important for drivers to be on the lookout for deer. “It’s so important to be mindful during this time of year and to watch for deer and remember that when you see one, it’s likely there are more nearby as they often travel in groups,” McDonough said in a statement. If a crash with a deer is unavoidable, authorities say not to swerve. “When deer dart out in front of traffic, the instinct often is to veer away, but it is important not to swerve as you will likely cause more damage or hit something or someone else on the road,” McDonough said. For more information regarding deer and/or the Rochester Hills Deer Management Advisory Committee, contact the city’s Parks and Natural Resources Department at (248) 656-4673.

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