The Indiana Department of Natural Resources is reminding motorists that deer-vehicle collisions remain a serious issue in the Hoosier State — with more than 14,000 crashes reported each year. As deer become more active in the fall, especially during mating season, the odds of encountering deer along roadways increase sharply.
DNR says collisions are most likely to occur at dawn and dusk, particularly in October and November. Drivers are urged to use extra caution in areas where agricultural fields meet wooded terrain, as well as in suburbs, parks, nature preserves, and places where hunting is not allowed. Foggy, rainy, or icy conditions can also make deer more difficult to see and react to.
Safety guidance stresses that drivers should never swerve to avoid a deer. Officials say braking and hitting the deer is safer than swerving into oncoming traffic or leaving the roadway. Motorists are also encouraged to slow down when a deer is spotted — and assume additional deer may be nearby — use high beams when appropriate to illuminate deer eyes, and wear seatbelts at all times. DNR notes that novelty items such as deer whistles are not considered effective deterrents.
If a collision occurs, drivers should move their vehicle to safety, activate hazard lights, and call police. Officials warn not to approach the deer, whether alive or dead, as injured deer can be unpredictable. Indiana law allows a driver to keep the deer with a proper permit issued by law enforcement, a DNR district biologist, or a property manager. Hunters and motorists may also choose to have the deer processed and donate the meat through the Sportsman’s Benevolence Fund, which distributes venison to families in need.
More information is available in the DNR guidance sheet “Deer Collisions and You,” accessible at:
https://www.in.gov/dnr/fish-and-wildlife/files/fw-deer_collisions_and_you.pdf
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