In coming weeks, deer will be plentiful and their movements unpredictable along Wisconsin roadways. To avoid adding to the seasonal spike in traffic crashes involving deer, drivers will need to be extremely cautious and vigilant, Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) officials warn.

During their mating season in October and November, deer will be more active especially at dusk and dawn when they move to and from their bedding and feeding areas. As a result, more deer will be darting onto highways this time of year.

Deer are the third most commonly struck object in Wisconsin traffic crashes (behind collisions with another vehicle or a fixed object). Law enforcement agencies reported a total of 15,821 deer vs. vehicle crashes last year. Dane County had the most motor vehicle vs. deer crashes reported in 2008 with 837.

“To avoid deer crashes, drivers must slow down when they see deer in the area. If you see one deer, there are probably more nearby that could dash in front of your vehicle,” says Dennis Hughes, chief of safety programs for WisDOT’s Bureau of Transportation Safety. “If you can’t avoid a deer, it’s safer to hit the brakes and hit the deer than to swerve suddenly and try to miss it. If you swerve, you risk losing control of your vehicle and rolling over or hitting another car or a fixed object, like a tree.”

Hughes emphasizes that motorcyclists must be especially careful this time of year because collisions with deer can be fatal. Motorcycles were involved in seven of the 10 fatal deer-vehicle crashes in Wisconsin in 2008.