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Autumn is a peek period for car accidents caused by deer
Thu, 27 Oct 2011

Deer are thought to be responsible for around 74,000 car accidents in the UK every year with autumn being a peak period, according to new statistics.

The Deer Initiative, a group of government agencies and charities which aims to control the number of deer in the UK, says the number of deer in the UK has more than doubled in the past 10 years and that the current population is approaching two million. This many deer have not been seen in this country since the Norman Conquest.

The Initiative points out that most accidents occur from October until the end of November because of two main reasons. Firstly, as a result of shorter days there are more cars on the road during dawn and dusk and this coincides with deer activity being at its peak. Second, this time of the year is the mating season for deer, when males chase females and fight each other for dominance.

Peter Watson, director of the Deer Initiative, said: "In wooded areas in particular there may be very little warning before one or several deer will bolt across a road. They could be males fighting over a female. A red deer can weigh upwards of 200lbs (90kg), which can do a lot of damage."
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