News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Tennessee highway safety officials are reminding drivers to be mindful of the increasing possibility of wildlife in the roadways this season.
Highway Safety Liaison Fred Sherill says deer can enter the roadway at a moment’s notice with little time to react.
“Right now is the time for mating season. You’re going to have the does and the bucks… they lose their mind,” Sherill says. “It doesn’t matter about cars or anything else, they’ll jump right out in the middle of a highway… Those things will tear your vehicle up. If you were to impact one, it could come up over your hood into your windshield, and create a bad incident for you.”
Sherill says deer aren’t the only wildlife drivers need to watch for as bears prepare for hibernation in the winter.
“It may be from a bedding area or to a food source,” Sherill says. “[The bears] are trying to fatten up. They’re trying to get ready for cold weather. They’re going to traverse out of their normal area into different areas looking for food. It may be someone is building a house in their area and they’re trying to find a different area. It’s very possible, also.”
Sherill says the Upper Cumberland doesn’t see quite as many deer as the west part of the state but added the region also sees its fair share of bears.
Several deer-related accidents have resulted in fatalities across the state in Tennessee. A 16-year-old in died in a Loudon County crash Oct. 27 after the car he was riding in collided head-on with another vehicle while trying to avoid hitting a deer.
