I have had the unfortunate occasion to hit a deer with my car.  What made it worse was that I was in a convoy of vehicles and Bambi chose to dart out in front of mine.  It caused close to $2000 to the front end of my vehicle.  Recently I drove on I-70 to St Louis and back, as well as down Highway 50 to Jefferson City and back.  I must have counted at least 10 deer carcasses on the side of the road.  No doubt from being hit.

It is the fall season, which is also deer mating season.  Seeing deer traffic across our Missouri roads are pretty common.  Here are a few ways to help reduce your chances of hitting one.

How To Avoid Hitting Deer

For the record, those deer can be sneaky fast.  And even if you see one, they can bolt out in front of you in an instant.  Even if you are really being observant.  Trust me, I know.  So what can you do to avoid a collision? Here are some tips.

Know Their Schedule

Deer are usually more active at dusk and dawn.  Between the hours of 6pm and 9pm are the most common.  But certainly they can pop up later at night.  Use your high beams when you can for longer visibility but keep aware that these deer have minds of their own and can pop out at anytime.

They Travel In Groups

If you happen to see one, there are usually more around.  So watch out for family members too.  You may have to allow a few to pass instead of just one.

Don't Swerve!

I can attest to this.  When I hit mine, I just had to drive through it.  DO NOT SWERVE! You are better off hitting your breaks, or honking the horn.  But if you can't do either, just maintain the speed and hit the deer.  Sorry.  If you try and break, the deer may come up on the windshield.  If you swerve you may hit another driver, or confuse the deer to the point where the deer runs towards your vehicle.

Deer crossing signs are there for a reason.  Pay attention to them.  Deer can be hard to see. Watch the road in front of you, and watch for the shine of a deer's eyes.  Be safe on the road.  Trust me, you don't want to deal with the damage on your vehicle.  Hope this helps.

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States with the most registered hunters

Stacker analyzed data from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to determine which states have the most registered hunters. Read on to see how your state ranks on Stacker’s list.

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