If you say to someone that they have that "deer in the headlights look", virtually everyone will know exactly what you mean.
The Free Dictionary describes it as "someone surprised and paralyzed by fear"
Deers give the blank stare look if they step in out in front of your car, but guess what, that's the same kind of look you give the deer when a deer suddenly appears, frozen, on the road, in front of your car!  It happens a lot and it happens a lot at this time of year.

My mother knew.  She hit deer twice in her later years and wrecked one of the family vehicles.  If you go out to look at the beautiful fall leaves in the hills or mountains, you too might hit a relative of bambi's mom!

Researchers say in Autumn your chance of hitting a deer with your car when driving on roads in rural areas is rising. And it's hard to imagine the scope of the damage caused.  When you consider the numbers, you might get a "deer in the headlights"look yourself! Popular Science reports -"Deer cause over one million motor vehicle accidents in the US each year, resulting in more than $1 billion in property damage, about 200 human deaths, and 29,000 serious injuries."

Researchers found that deer-vehicle accidents are eight times more frequent per hour of dusk than they are during daylight hours, and that they are four times more frequent at dusk than after nightfall. Most deer-vehicle accidents occur during the full moon, and at the time of night when the moon is brightest.

You’re also more likely to hit a deer when daylight saving time ends, which is on November 7th, 2021 in the US. Washington State is in the bottom third of states with deer-car accidents so that's the good news. The bad news, we have elk on the roads too and they are bigger by several hundred pounds than a deer!  So hey, let's be careful out there!

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