Superintendent Colonel Melissa Zebley
Presented by the Director of Public Information Sergeant Richard D. Bratz
The Delaware State Police would like to remind motorists that the deer rut and hunting season is fast-approaching during the months of October and November; therefore, we would like to help prevent the spike in deer-related crashes that typically occur every fall in Delaware. Our news releases will go out to inform travelers three different times in the next few months starting in September until December. The friendly reminders will hopefully keep our drivers safe, more alert and will also lead them to slow down during this specific time of the year.
In 2015, there were 876 deer crashes investigated in Sussex County; 391 in Kent County and 524 in New Castle County. Majority of deer activity resulting in crashes occurred during the dusk and dawn hour.
Overall, many of these animal or deer-related crashes occurred along the main corridors of SR 1, U.S. Route 13 and U.S. Route 113 during the 6:00 a.m. hour. During the 5:00 p.m. hour a significant number of crashes occurred on secondary roads.
Please be careful when traveling and keep a sharp eye out for deer crossing roadways, especially at dusk. Deer are even more active due to their annual mating season ‘rut’ in November with bucks chasing doe through fields, marshes and woods. The average white-tailed deer in Delaware weighs approximately 130 pounds, with larger bucks tipping the scales at 180 pounds or more. With the increased white-tailed deer activity, Delaware motorists are kindly reminded to stay alert and to be ready for a deer to dart out into the roadway from dusk to dawn.
A deer crash can result in serious injury or death to you or your passengers as well as serious damage to your vehicle.
Safety Tips That May Help Prevent Deer Crashes
New Castle County Deer Collision Hot Spots 2016
New Castle County Deer Collisions by Month and Year | ||||||
2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016* | |
Jan | 32 | 43 | 33 | 46 | 25 | 45 |
Feb | 31 | 30 | 27 | 34 | 32 | 27 |
Mar | 25 | 23 | 34 | 40 | 37 | 38 |
Apr | 23 | 28 | 30 | 22 | 25 | 38 |
May | 27 | 24 | 18 | 20 | 31 | 29 |
Jun | 17 | 34 | 22 | 27 | 27 | 25 |
Jul | 19 | 24 | 20 | 14 | 24 | 14 |
Aug | 11 | 12 | 12 | 16 | 16 | 18 |
Sep | 22 | 23 | 26 | 22 | 17 | 14 |
Oct | 86 | 64 | 98 | 75 | 104 | |
Nov | 104 | 123 | 123 | 126 | 152 | |
Dec | 46 | 46 | 53 | 46 | 34 | |
Total | 443 | 474 | 496 | 488 | 524 | 248 |
Top Roads for Deer Crashes in New Castle County
Limestone Road near area of New Linden Hill Rd and Kirkwood Highway
State Route 1 near Odessa
River Road near Delaware City to New Castle area
Centre Road near Gilpin Drive
Kent County Deer Collision Hot Spots for 2016
Kent County Deer Collisions by Month and Year | ||||||
2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016* | |
Jan | 22 | 28 | 22 | 29 | 28 | 30 |
Feb | 31 | 11 | 16 | 29 | 20 | 19 |
Mar | 15 | 22 | 35 | 23 | 23 | 28 |
Apr | 26 | 16 | 25 | 19 | 28 | 22 |
May | 23 | 18 | 24 | 17 | 28 | 24 |
Jun | 26 | 14 | 26 | 22 | 22 | 33 |
Jul | 13 | 14 | 20 | 11 | 22 | 16 |
Aug | 11 | 10 | 13 | 13 | 11 | 12 |
Sep | 17 | 10 | 23 | 11 | 17 | 15 |
Oct | 52 | 45 | 43 | 60 | 64 | |
Nov | 75 | 66 | 96 | 93 | 90 | |
Dec | 35 | 23 | 33 | 27 | 38 | |
Total | 346 | 277 | 376 | 354 | 391 | 199 |
Top Roads for Deer Crashes in Kent County
State Route 1, North side of Dover
Bay Road near the Frederica area
South DuPont Highway, Camden to the Harrington Area
South State Street, Camden to the Magnolia area
Sussex County Deer Collision Hot Spots for 2016
Sussex County Deer Collisions by Month and Year | ||||||
2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016* | |
Jan | 62 | 58 | 46 | 63 | 60 | 53 |
Feb | 63 | 58 | 45 | 68 | 38 | 62 |
Mar | 65 | 60 | 57 | 56 | 59 | 76 |
Apr | 47 | 60 | 72 | 53 | 57 | 66 |
May | 63 | 63 | 55 | 46 | 57 | 57 |
Jun | 45 | 59 | 64 | 74 | 59 | 71 |
Jul | 39 | 37 | 53 | 40 | 47 | 47 |
Aug | 29 | 34 | 39 | 28 | 53 | 44 |
Sep | 53 | 54 | 46 | 35 | 49 | 37 |
Oct | 117 | 83 | 84 | 122 | 103 | |
Nov | 188 | 157 | 180 | 206 | 192 | |
Dec | 90 | 68 | 66 | 66 | 102 | |
Total | 861 | 791 | 807 | 857 | 876 | 513 |
Top Roads for Deer Crashes in Sussex County:
DuPont Boulevard, USRT 113 between Georgetown and Millsboro
Coastal Highway, SR 1 near Milton and the Lewes area
John J. Williams Hwy, SR 24 between Millsboro and Rehoboth area
State Route 26 in the Millsboro and Dagsboro area
Redden Road SR 40 between Georgetown and Bridgeville
US 13 just south of the county line in the area of Greenwood Road
US 13 north of Bethel Concord Road and south of Brickyard Road
**The Delaware State Police issues this traffic advisory and wishes you safe travel as you reach your destination.**
For more information please contact:
Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control – Joanna Wilson at 739-9902
Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police – Sergeant John McDerby at 354-1386
Natural Resources Police (Fish and Wildlife) would like to kindly remind the public that it is illegal to possess a deer killed as the result of a vehicle accident unless the deer has been examined and tagged by an officer (DE Title 7 Sec. 794). Anyone who would like to take possession of a deer killed on the road can obtain a vehicle-killed deer tag from Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police, 1-302-739-4580. For information about white-tailed deer in Delaware, the Division of Fish & Wildlife can be contacted at 1-302-739-9912.
Released: 092816 1401
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