Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF) is warning drivers to be more cautious as they drive along Commonwealth's highways this season of fall since this the time when deer breed making them more active this month as compared to any other time of the year.

One-half or two-thirds of all deer/vehicle collisions occur in the months of October, November, and December. Although less than 1 percent of vehicle fatalities and injuries involving deer collisions are reported in Virginia, still an accident with a deer can either damage people or property.

VDGIF projects that the number of white-tailed deer roaming the highways of Commonwealth at this time of the year can reach around one million. Whoa!

Also, each year hunters in Virginia harvest around 210,000 deer stabilizing the population of this animal at between 800,000 and up to one million for the length of 10 years. Hunting these deer has become a significant practice in Virginia since it kept the number of the white-tailed deer checked due to their reproduction rate.

The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries offers the following tips to keep drivers from hitting a deer:

1.    Be extra watchful when driving specifically at dusk and dawn. refrain from speeding up to enable you to safely apply brake in case a deer happen to cross the road. And don't assume since you only saw one deer crossing that there's no others to follow. Remember that deer travels in herd so the likelihood of other deer following the one that you saw is high.
2.    The good thing about deer is that they usually travel in the same areas which mean that once you saw deer crossing signs installed by the Virginia Department of Transportation make sure that you slow down.
3.    Drivers should apply brakes or stop if necessary to avoid hitting a deer but must not also put his or her life in danger swerving out just to avoid hitting a deer. If hitting a deer is unavoidable then do so rather than colliding with another vehicle, tree or other object.
4.    Use common sense and good judgment at all times instead of the ineffective deer whistles that you can buy at the stores.
5.    For drivers that has killed a deer or a bear while driving are advised to report the accident to the Conservation Police Officer or other law enforcement officer in the country or city where the accident occurred.
6.    I am not sure if this is good news but for those who love to keep dead animals as a souvenir they may keep the deer or the bear depending on which they hit on the road provided that they report the accident to a law enforcement officer in the country or city that has jurisdiction over the area. The law enforcement officer will give you a possession certificate giving you the right to take home the carcass of the animal you hit.

For question of the white-tailed deer simply visit the Department's web site at http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/wildlife/deer/ or http://www.dgif.vriginia.gov/wildlife/deer/deer-vehicle-collision-report.asp.