The white-tailed deer is a majestic creature to behold in its natural environment. They can run, they can jump, but all too often, they tragically end up on the hoods of people's cars.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety estimates that 1.5 million deer-car collisions happen every year, causing 150 human deaths and a billion dollars in vehicular damage.
Utah is the latest state fighting to stem the tide in deer collisions by starting a test trial of the so-called "Deer Deter." It's a handy little device that emits a whistling noise when cars are approaching. Each Deer Deter goes on a post or a tree 150 to 300 feet away from the next one on rural highways.
Ed Mulka, the project manager for the Deer Deter, told Tech News Daily the device's high-pitched sound, coupled with a tiny strobe light, is enough to "make a deer stop and go, 'what the hell is that'?"
That could be enough to stop a deer from running out into traffic or prevent it from getting mesmerized in a car's headlights.
To make sure deer don't become immune to the effects of the Deer Deter, the gadget is programmed to emit new light patterns and sounds.
Mulka says the Deer Deter's sound and light patterns will be enough to keep deer off the roads, but not annoy humans. Unless a driver has the windows down going slowly, he or she probably won't even notice the device's high-pitched whine.
Utah's Department of Transportation is dispatching 100 Deer Deters along a particularly deadly stretch of highway less than two miles long that has been responsible for 130 deer deaths between 2005 and 2009.
Since the system was set up in May, there have been no reported deer deaths along that stretch of highway, but officials say it's too soon to judge whether or not the Deer Deter has been effective.
Image: iStockPhoto
Tags: Animals, Cars, Electronics, Safety and Prevention
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