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VERIFY: Do Deer Whistles, Other Deer Deterrents Work?

How do you avoid a costly deer crash?

VERIFY QUESTION

Oh, deer. You've seen them all over the place -- darting in front of your car, lying on the side of the interstate and peeking out from behind the trees. It is deer season -- deer are moving and looking for food. That's why they attribute to 18,000 animal crashes in North Carolina every year, per the NC Highway Patrol.

Good Morning Show viewer Darlene Cooper asked: I've heard you can put deer whistles on your car to keep the deer away from your car when driving. I'm interested in getting them for my car. Can you VERIFY if deer whistles really work?

VERIFY SOURCE

VERIFY PROCESS

Major retailers sell deer whistles for anywhere from $6 to $20. The whistles are marketed as deer deterrents. They attach to cars and supposedly emit a high frequency that deer can hear but humans cannot.

Deer and Deer Hunting looked at tests conducted by the University of Georgia. Deer have very good hearing, and that's why hunters want total silence in the woods. Deer whistle tests suggest white-tailed deer can hear effectively within the range of .25 to 30 kilohertz (kH) with best sensitivity between 4 and 8 kH.

Tests found although deer can hear most deer whistles, they don't always respond. The whistle sound might get lost in road traffic noise, the deer might have too little time to react, their brains might not process the sound, or they might not perceive the sounds as threatening.

Consumer Reports says not to rely on deer whistles, because animal behavior is unpredictable. Instead, drive cautiously with deer in mind. Watch for deer at dawn and dusk, between 6 and 9, when they are most active.

Break, don't swerve. Your odds of surviving a crash are better when hitting an animal than another car. And, assume the deer have friends. They usually travel in groups.

VERIFY CONCUSION

If you want to try a deer whistle, it won't hurt -- but don't count on it to deter a crash. The existing studies don't provide enough evidence to suggest deer whistles are effective deterrents.

Do you have a VERIFY inquiry Send a note or selfie video to Meghann Mollerus:

Facebook: Meghann Mollerus News

Twitter: @MeghannMollerus

E-mail: mmollerus@wfmy.com

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