Deer Collisions

Each year, there are more than 1.5 million crashes involving deer, causing an estimated $1.1 billion in vehicle damages, 150 lives lost, and more than 10,000 injuries.

A report called "Methods to Reduce Traffic Crashes Involving Deer: What Works and What Does Not," commissioned by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has shown that there are few viable solutions to reducing deer-car collisions. That's why news of a breakthrough technology to help drivers avoid deer - even after sunset (the most dangerous time) - is making news. The advance took the merging of several scientific disciplines and is the result of a partnership between 3M, Dupont, and GENCOR.

They call it "LumaDeer©". By combining OLED and photovoltaic technology with genetic material from bioluminescent squid and white-tail deer, scientists have produced a small number of glowing deer. Genetically altered herds are being released to breed with wild populations and spread the genes.

Thomas Howser of 3M says "the modification of the deer increases safety, reduces insurance costs, and actually helps the animals". He points to the deer's new ability to forage well past dusk, increasing avalable food sources. Howser does note that the herds are "more vulnerable during hunting season". Legislation is being planned to limit sportsmen to hunting during daylight hours.