Over one million automobile accidents are influenced by deer in the United States each year. These incidents – which cause over $4 billion in damages and 200 deaths annually - are a major problem for automobile insurance providers, as well as motorists. But it's not just a problem for us, here in the US. A Reindeer Herders Association in Finland has a very difficult time keeping their "livestock" reindeer from car collisions as well.

The problem is made worse in the long, Finnish winters, where the majority of the day is dark. The problem isn't new for the Scandinavian region, where reindeer are kept as livestock for their meat - but their old methods of using reflective tags haven't worked so well. Expanding on the idea of reflectivity, the Reindeer Herders Association came up with the idea of making the reindeer more visible by spraying parts of the reindeer with reflective paint.

"The goal is specifically to prevent road accidents," says Executive Director of the Reindeer Herders Association Executive, Anne Ollila. "The spray is being tried on their fur, but it is maybe more effective on their antlers because the reflection can be seen in every direction."

Glow in the dark antlers? Reindeer Herders are looking into this as a means to curb vehicle collisions with the animals.
[Image by Anne Ollila]

The process is being tested to determine which parts of the body will be most visible in the widest range of conditions, as well as which formulas of paint will hold up best and provide long-lasting reflectivity. As odd as it sounds, I think the Association's idea is a smart one. Obviously their potential solution can't be implemented on our wild and wide-spread deer herds, but their "out of the box" ideas should get us thinking about new ways to help prevent deer and vehicle collisions.

One forward-thinking idea is Mercedes' new Night View Assist Plus technology, which uses infrared to identify warm-blooded creatures that lurk in the shadows. The infrared scanner provides thermal imaging to an onboard display that gives the driver visibility to humans, deer, and other wildlife, and will even sound an alarm and pre-charge the vehicle's brakes for an abrupt stop. Thanks to this technology, drivers can see "glow in the dark" deer without the messy paint.