St. Joseph County Police share tips on how to avoid deer accidents this Fall

Michiana law enforcement is asking drivers to be cautious of deer since you may be seeing more of them during their mating season this fall.

We spoke with St. Joseph County Police who have a few tips you can follow to make sure you and your family stay safe.

“We have deer crashes that happen all through the community even in some of the metro areas so it’s not an uncommon thing anywhere in the county,” said Bill Thompson, the St. Joseph County Assistant Police Chief.

It’s Fall which means you’ll start seeing more and more deer on the road.

“This time of year, especially as it gets more into Fall, the deer get a little bit more active. It’s kinda near their mating season so there’s a lot more of them moving around,” said Thompson.

St. Joseph County Police want drivers to be aware so they have a few tips to help you avoid deer collisions.

“Take the time to scan the sides of the road, not just the roadway itself because a lot of times even at a distance you see the deer before you even get to ‘em – headlights have a way of reflecting out of their eyes. And additionally, always when you see one, it’s a good idea to slow down because very frequently there’s much more than one,” said Thompson.

They also have tips in case you aren’t able to avoid one.

“If you know you’re gonna have a collision with an animal, it is sometimes better to go ahead and have that collision straight on as opposed to trying to make some really drastic swerving or turning measure and jeopardize you or other motorists,” said Thompson.

Police say they are also here to help.

“Generally if you’ve sustained any significant damage at all, it’s always a good idea to get ahold of us and make a police report on it. We recognize that there’s a higher incidence of them and we try to respond to those as quickly as we can,” said Thompson.

If you or someone else does become injured from this type of accident make sure to call police right away. For more information and statistics about avoiding deer on the road, click here.