They can do a lot of damage and cause costly repairs but this is the time of year when Scott Lundy, owner of Scott’s American Collision in Kenosha, says he tends to see the most deer-related crashes come into his shop.
"We’ve done 15 to 20 so far,” said Scott.
Scott has been in the automotive industry for about 40 years, and he said hitting a deer can cause major damage to your vehicle.
“Quite a bit of damage actually. We have some vehicles that I’ve had close to $20,000 in damage with a deer hit," said Scott.
According to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, there were more than 16,153 deer-related crashes in Wisconsin in 2023. Waukesha County reported the most deer vs. vehicle crashes with 836, followed by Dane County with 802 and Washington County with 763 crashes last year.
Watch: Avoiding a crash with a deer this rutting season.
Deer collisions increase this time of year because of the rut, or deer mating season, according to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Peak rut tends to occur late October through November.
So what can you do to help avoid a deer-related collision?
First, try to avoid driving during dusk or dawn when deer are most active, and pay attention. Be alert and scan the roadway for deer.
If you can’t avoid a collision, brake firmly, stay in your lane, and don’t swerve.
“You’re gonna cause more problems trying to swerve, so just hit it and hope for the best," said Scott.
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