“People just need to be more cautious; especially in the evening time from about 5 p.m. to about midnight,” said Matt Hunt, state wildlife officer for Greene County.
During those times, and also at daybreak, deer are actively looking for food and mates.
Cheryl of Yellow Springs knows that all too well. Her mother hit a deer last winter.
“My mother was going to the store to get cheese in the morning and it jumped out in front of her, totaled her car and we could never find the deer again,” said Cheryl.
People can’t control deer, but they can take action to help reduce their chances of crashing into the animals.
“If you’re in that time of day when the deer are really active and you’re maybe in an area where you’ve seen a lot of deer before, slow down a little bit, be more cautious and keep your eyes open,” said Hunt.
Hunt also recommends drivers turn on their bright lights when possible.
“It gives you that chance, if you can see them, it gives you a chance to react better,” said Hunt.
If drivers do spot one deer, keep in mind, more are typically nearby.
“I saw a group of five of them running down the street on Dayton Yellow Springs Road,” said Nick Long of Yellow Springs. “They were running along side of our car and then kind of crossed the street and jumped through a field.”
As deer populations grow and people spread to the countryside, deer sightings and crashes also increase.