When it comes to deer whistles, you’re just blowing in the wind

Q I was on a dark Interstate 280 near Page Mill Road around 10:30 p.m. when several deer suddenly appeared on the freeway. I was going around 60 mph and managed to veer away from them. The deer didn’t budge. A friend suggested I get a deer whistle to scare them away. Do they work?

— Marty Fitzgibbons,

San Jose A Some drivers say yes, but others — including a number of deputies, say no. According to a Washington state analysis, deer whistles don’t work. The report found that more accidents were reported after whistles were installed on cars than before for the same period of time and stretches of highway.

Officials say a tap or two on the horn can get deer off the road, while others say a loud blast may send them scattering in different directions and pose safety risks.

This is deer mating season. Here are a few tips.

• Be extra aware when driving at dawn, dusk or the first few hours after nightfall, especially between 6 and 9 p.m., when deer are most active.

• Heed deer crossing signs. Slow down when traveling through wooded areas or fields. Keep your eyes moving. Glance frequently to both sides of the road.

• When you see a deer, watch for more. Deer usually move in groups.

• Never attend to an injured deer. Call 911 to seek help.

Data from the California Highway Patrol and Caltrans indicated there are about 6,000 roadkill incidents a year in California.

The Bay Area has the most hot spots for wildlife carcasses and crashes in California. Interstate 280 is the No. 1 crash spot and also a hot spot for roadkill. Persistent hot spots for roadkill include Highway 101 in Marin County south to Petaluma, and interstates 580 and 680. Q When I switched from driving a patrol car to a motorcycle on Highway 17, I was concerned about deer, considering how many I dragged out of the roadway in my career. So I installed deer whistles on my CHP motorcycle. I rode out confident I would send the deer running for the hills whenever I passed by.

Much to my surprise, the deer didn’t even raise their collective heads while grazing along the side of the road. I would speed up, slow down, rev my engine, honk my horn, blow my siren. Nothing.

From my experience, deer whistles are a waste of money.

— Dave-the-Retired CHP-Man

A

There are other critters frustrating drivers. Q Once on Niles Canyon Road, traffic was at a standstill. An accident? No. There was a flock of turkeys in no hurry to move along, taking up two lanes. I tried honking at them, creeping up to them, yelling out the window. Nothing could get them to move on.

— Fred Adams, Milpitas A Road boulders come in all shapes and feathers.