Analyzing Montclair police car crash data (June 2023 - June 2026) and NJ state data (2024, the latest data) we found animal car collisions are a very small roadway issue in Montclair - 0.87% of total reported car crashes in Montclair. That means 34 of 3,900 total reported Montclair crashes are animal related, and resulted in no injuries to humans.

 

This is an issue that is manageable using targeted roadway safety and innovative speed reduction measures along a few key known high-speed corridors where the crashes concentrated.

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Check out our Montclair Local Letter to the Editor; July 17, 2026

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We will post the full report soon. In the meantime, here are the highlights:

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• Only 34 animal crashes (32 deer related) out of ~3,900 total Montclair crashes, in 3 years, June 2023–June 2026 — 0.87% of all reported crashes.

• For every animal crash there were more than a hundred other collisions on Montclair, and none of the 34 produced a reported injury to humans.

• That's below the NJ statewide average for municipal roads (2.06%) and well below the county-road average (5.80%).

• Zero reported human injuries or fatalities in any of the 34 crashes.

• Crashes are not increasing; peaked at 15 (2024), fell to 7 (2025); numbers too small to show a trend. Carcass pickups relatively stable – 37 average annual pickups across 6 years. Carcass pick up includes other causes of death besides deer-car crashes.

• Worst-case ceiling: even if every carcass pickup (not just reported crashes) were counted as a vehicle strike, animal-related crashes would still be only ~2.9% of all crashes — still below the NJ county-road average and on par with NJ municipal crashes.

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Where & when

• 4 streets account for 56% of crashes; Upper Mountain Ave alone = 24% of all crashes (8 of 34).

• In fact, looking at animal-related crashes against non animal-related crashes, the same high risk roads overlap. A clear need for slower speed improvements and enforcement on these road segments.

• Timing is predictable: two-thirds of crashes happen at dawn (5–8am) or dusk (5–9pm); a third occur in the Oct–Nov breeding/rut season.

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Who's driving

• Crash reports reveal only 24% of drivers were Montclair residents; 76% came from out of town —  using these roads for through-traffic  (or "cut through") on regional cross-town connectors is an issue in Montclair and a likely reason for higher speeds and need for better road design and enforcement.

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