You addressed the problem, but one solution is simple. SLOW DOWN.
I live in rural Utah and there are deer on the highway every night. Still, people insist on traveling faster that the posted speed limit. By slowing down five MPH you greatly decrease the chances of hitting a deer and only take 30 seconds more to travel the seven miles between most towns on highway 89.
Are those 3o seconds worth the risk of hitting a deer or elk, risking the lives of your loved ones and expensive damage to your car.

Has anyone considered that the rise in deaths from auto-deer accidents can be attributed to the move to smaller, lighter, more fuel efficient vehicles.

It seems to me that when we change the time back from daylight time to standard time that more deer are hit. When people are travling home after work, when it is just starting to get dark, are when deer are moving down towards the highways. So please slow down and stay alert.

I do a deer collision drill every now and then when I am driving. I imagine a deer darting out in front of me, I grab the steering wheel with both hands and have trained myself that no matter what it may sound like or look like (hitting the deer)- I keep my car going perfectly straight.
I love all animals but I love life too.

if you can time the collision and hit them just right in the head then you won't spoil the meat and you can have some fresh tenderloin to compensate for your inconvenience

Seriously... deer are more active and travel more in the fall during the "rut" - their breeding season. Slow down if one crosses the road because odds are there may be another behind

Part of the deer/auto fatality problem is directly related to insufficient deer crossing avenues on the highways. One, there isn't enough of them and two, the deer crossing avenues are too narrow and restricted.

Deer and elk need very wide crossing areas; they are intimidated by the narrow crossings and would rather cross the roads instead.

Money of course, is a big issue. However said, wider wild game crossing areas would help save many animals and reduce accidents and fatalities related to vehicle/wild game collisions.

In the long run, substantial benefits to the deer, elk herds and human population could result if more study and money would be devoted to animal crossing avenues.