OHIO — Ohio is in the peak time of the year for deer related crashes, and officials from the Ohio State Highway Patrol said since 2019, there have been more than 100,000 crashes in the state and almost half of those happen during the last three months of the year.

So, this time of year, more than any other, deer across Ohio are on the move.

Sgt. Bridget Matt of Ohio State Highway Patrol shared advice on how to avoid hitting them with a vehicle.

What You Need To Know

  • Officials encourage eliminating any distractions while driving

  • If someone hits a deer, officials said put on the hazard or the four way lights get the car off the road as safely as possible and then either dial 911 or pound (#) 677
  • The biggest reminder is that if a driver encounters a deer while driving to not hit the break suddenly

“That’s October, November and December — those are the months where the deer are the most active especially during dawn and dusk,” Matt said. “It’s important to drive with your headlights illuminated, and if you’re able to, use your high beams as well.”

 Matt said it’s also important to eliminate any distractions while driving.

“So, make sure that your phones are down and that you’re paying attention to the roadway and scanning for any deer that may be entering that may be entering the roadway from either side,” Matt said.

Matthew McGuire works with the Ohio Department of Transportation – one of the many agencies responsible for cleanup after crashes. 

Depending on where the animal is, determines how they dispose of it. 

“So, just being on the lookout especially for driving to more rural areas although the deer certainly not shy in the urban areas as well,” McGuire said. “ODOT, your county engineer’s office and your city maintenance facilities — dump it into the back of the truck and then all the way to a solid waste disposal facility.”

McGuire said sometimes if the deer is killed near a more rural area, they may treat it differently. 

“It might be feasible to relocate the carcass on site and allow it to continue to decompose naturally,” McGuire said.

If someone hits a deer, officials said put on the hazard or the four-way lights get the car off the road as safely as possible and then either dial 911 or pound (#) 677.

The biggest reminder is that if a driver encounters a deer while driving to not hit the break suddenly.

“We don’t want you swerving into another vehicle or going off the road into a ditch,” Matt said. “It’s better just to brake and maintain your lane.”