An open letter to our deer friends

Dear Deer,

It’s that time of year, we know, when love is the air and the scent of romance urges you to leap wide roads in a single bound.

The only problem is, we’re on those same roads, rushing the kids to school, zipping to the grocery store, heading home from work, or getting out of the house after a long day of work-from-home.

Usually, when we get in our cars, we’re not thinking about you. Until, that is, when we glance across a field and see a herd of you. Or when a fawn, nearly invisible in its gray-brown coat, steps out from the trees and stares straight into our headlights.

The fact is, this is a two-way street.

We appreciate you have other things on your mind—if you’re using your mind at all.

It would be helpful, though, if you were to take it easy crossing the road. But we can’t bet on you changing your habits.

So, we’re looking at our own behaviors behind the wheel to cut our collective losses, especially given how many more of you are here in Loudoun than just a few years ago.

So, we’re making a pledge to:

• Slow down.
• Be especially attentive during your peak activity hours at dawn and dusk.
• Use extra caution when driving through your deer crossing zones. Also, we’ll be especially careful in places where you’re known to move in herds and in areas where roads divide agricultural fields from forestland.
• Keep in mind that you seldom run alone, so we should watch for your followers.
• Use high beam headlights when we’re driving at night and there is no oncoming traffic. The higher light will better illuminate your eyes near the roadway.
• Slow down and blow the horn with one long blast to frighten you away.
• Brake firmly but stay in our lane. Many serious crashes occur when we swerve to avoid you but then hit another vehicle or lose control of our cars.
• Always wear our seatbelts.
• Not rely on deer-deterring devices. Deer whistles, fences, and reflectors have not been proven to reduce collisions.

And in the event of an unfortunate collision?

We’ll do the right thing: Call 911 to reach the local law enforcement. They’re likely to send a game warden/conservation officer or police officer.

But by sticking to our pledge, we’re aiming to not meet you in the middle of the road. Here’s to a safe season!

— Your fellow travelers