Oh Deer: Illinois Officials Warn Residents To Watch For “Amorous Mammals”

If you're not already paying attention to the road, start.

Deer mating season is here, which means you'll likely see them out on the roads. The Illinois Department of Transportation has issued a release advising drivers to watch out for deer on the roads, particularly around dawn and dusk.

And as we know, they can move quick.

Officials recommend a few tips and precautions during peak deer mating season:

• Always assume you're somewhere deer can be present. Deer can adapt to the country, suburbs, or cities.
• Keep an eye on the sides of the road for eye shine.
• Slow down if you see a deer. Anticipate that more may be with it.
• Prepare for the unexpected. Deer may stop in the middle of the road and not move for cars.
• If a collision is inevitable, don't veer. Try to glance your car off the deer and avoid swerving into oncoming traffic or off the road.

Last year, 42% of crashes involving deer in Illinois happened in October, November, and December, with November being the highest-risk month for deer collisions. 79% of deer crashes in Illinois happened at twilight or night. In total, there were 14,436 deer collisions, 698 of which resulted in injury and 5 were fatal.

The top 10 counties for deer crashes last year were:

1. Cook
2. McHenry
3. Sangamon
4. LaSalle
5. Lake
6. Will
7. Kane
8. Madison
9. Fulton
10. Rock Island

If you do hit a deer, pull off on the shoulder, turn your hazard lights on, and call 911.

Since it's getting darker outside earlier and visibility is lower, officials recommend keeping an eye out for deer and driving cautiously. Which you should be doing anyway.