Vehicle collisions involving deer are on the rise in Missouri. Collision data from the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Federal Highway Administration through State Farm shows that the number of vehicular crashes involving deer is increasing in Missouri. While numbers for the state overall has gone up, data from MSHP's Traffic Safety Compendium shows that the number of deer-related accidents are dropping.
Data in 2014 reveals that there were 3,720 deer-related accidents. That's 213 more accidents than recorded in 2013. There was a spike in 2012 with accidents totaling almost 4,000, but the number dropped in 2013. However, it's on the rise again.
The number of deer-related accidents in Callaway County was 56 in 2014, but it was as high as 77 in 2011. The number of those accidents in the county have been in decline.
The number of accidents involving deer tend to revolve around mating and hunting season from September to January. Conservation Agent Steve Kistner with the Missouri Department of Conservation said the peak of deer breeding season is in November, which Scott White, an information
officer with the Missouri State Highway Patrol said when the most accidents occur.
"The combination of looking for mates and looking for food keeps them on the move," Kistner said.
Data claims from State Farm show that Missouri drivers are 3 percent more likely to hit a deer in the next year than they were last year. The odds are that 1 in 120 drivers in Missouri will have a car accident involving a deer - higher than the national average of 1 in 169, according to the data.
In the number of collisions involving deer, Missouri ranks 17th in the nation. Last year the state ranked 18th, according to the data.
Both the State Highway Patrol and the Department of Conservation urge drivers to use caution while driving during deer season. The most common mistake people make, White and Kistner said, is swerving to avoid a collision with a deer. If a collision with a deer is imminent, it's safer to hit it instead of swerving into oncoming traffic or overcorrecting and driving into the ditch.
"When you see deer, slow down and proceed with caution," White said. "People forget this, but deer travel in groups and there may be several deer following if someone has a close call."