Do deer whistles really work?

A 41 Action News investigation looks at if deer whistles really help avoid accidents with the animal.

[david_a_uno]

When night driving in forested areas, flashing high beams when there is no oncoming traffic, or tapping the horn lightly and quickly when sections of the road ahead aren't visible, have also proven helpful.

[midos]

The only times I have a deer run out in front of me is when I'm driving a nice new car. But if I'm driving my old beater they never run out in front of me. I been driving my old rusty beat-up Chevy S10 Pickup for over 18 years that I've owned it and its never been hit by a deer. LOL

[overthehilldill]

Been driving a truck for 30 years now and the only time i hit one and my wife hit one is when we didn't have an alert on the truck. Maybe they work and maybe they don't, but it's an awful strange coincidence. I'll always use them.

[thisisyourcaptainspeaking]

I've had notably fewer close calls with whistles installed.

[hellkat]

I beeped my horn at a flock of deers running across a cornfield and about to run across a busy road and they changed direction immediately. Saved a lot of lives that early morning.

[Danimal-D-Animal]

I'm going to put 50 pair on my car and see what happens.

[Not_Of_This_World]

I've dropped $10 on a a scratch-off. Why wouldn't I spend $10 to maybe buy myself an extra half of a second of response time? A half second can be more than enough time to avoid an accident! After all, the guy didn't say "they don't work", he said, "[sic] the faster you're traveling, the less effective they are".

[angelpacheco]

I worked with the company that introduced the whistles in the United States in the 80s. I've had them on almost all my cars. Follow a pickup truck with dogs out back and watch their behavior. It's like mom telling you the stove is hot deer usually change direction, but some don't they think for themselves. Even panicking. Also, the devices, as demonstrated, are too close together and pointed down. Should be 3 feet apart and as flat as possible.can be sideways. Some opt to put them on the roof, giving an earlier signal on hills. The companies selling them now usually don't include instructions. You also have to be driving 30 miles per hour, so this being said, they are not going to work at 25 mph and Bambi is dead, and the car may be totaled.

[grandmoffpuppeteer]

22 years of trucking, and never hit one, always used these. Until the last year: I've hit 3. Can't use these because company says it's "modifying" their equipment. So they'd rather have smashed trucks.

[akat]

I heard that if you periodically honked your horn, it would help better than a deer whistle.

[pexw]

That was some piss-poor science-ing right there. I know many state, county and municipal police forces that automatically equip all of their vehicles with these. The people who said she "installed" it wrong are correct. She didn't even clean the surface, as she said to do, while attaching it. So clearly not supposed to be an instructional video. I've had these on every vehicle I've owned or leases since 1988. The last deer I hit was in 1987. The only time I've ever seen deer in front of one of my vehicles since then is when they're running away. Even squirrels don't mess around when they hear these coming. If you live in deer country, get these. Don't listen to idiots. They could save your life.

[solidust]

I've got 50 deer whistles on my car

[jamessnapp]

You hit only 2 deer with your car and you call it a deer magnet? LOL 😂
I've hit 5 with my truck.

[keithmontoya]

Sound travels at 186, 000 feet per second. Definitely faster than 30-70 miler per hour. Ya think??? The point of the Deer Horns is to put a sound out there the deer can hear and make them aware of your presence. Suicidal Deer? Can't help them.

[mattnobrega]

Cover the whole front end with the whistles including on the hood, roof and backs of mirrors. That should be enough to scare a samsquanch 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[johnjorsta]

Animals get used to noises very quickly that's why they are not scared of traffic noise.
I have 25 years driving on average 30, 000 miles per year in all weather and times of day and night throughout rural Sussex UK, very much dear country. Never hit one dear not one, no whistles no gadgets just sensible slower speeds and 100%concentration. I've had 100s of dear jump out in front of me. People drive to quickly and do not pay enough attention to the road and verges

[keithmontoya]

Putting the Deer Horn in the grill is absolutely STUPID. The sound it makes will be absorbed by the engine, when it needs to be outside so the sound will carry. I have a set on my patrol car front guard since it sits out about 9-inches from the engine grill. I have two cars and the sets are on top next to the rails so they aren't seen and look natural. I've been using them for over a year and the deer look at me and run away from the road edge. I believe in them. I just hope I didn't just jinx myself. Let me know what you think.

[hellkat]

insurance companies have done extensive studies ....read work.

[Angelsky]

What if you put more than 2? Like 4 maybe?

[Brimstone]

alrighty just to say, iv had them on my car for the last 5 years an they do not work, i live up in the mountains of mount shasta and my ol car has a nice kill count now of 6 deer, 1 elk, 1 cow and 8 birds lol