KSP warns of increased deer crossings
With fall upon us, the Kentucky State Police want to remind people to drive safely to avoid hitting deer.
"This time as we are entering into October, it is a really good reminder to all motorists that deer will be on the move, as it is their mating season," says KSP Trooper Corey King.
Kentucky ranks 18th in the country in terms of deer accidents. Drivers in the Bluegrass State have 1 in 88 odds of hitting a deer. Officers say that number is even higher in the Tristate.
"If you encounter a deer in your pathway, the best thing and the safest thing to do is to gently apply your brakes, and stay in your travel lane. All too often, drivers make that mistake, and sometimes it is fatal. It is safer to strike the animal, and then call us at that point to work the wreck," King explains.
Aside from the mental shock, hitting a deer can cause a lasting impact on your wallet as well.
"Something like this will run you anywhere from 5 to 10 thousand depending on parts, the size of a deer and impact, stuff like that," says Isaac Hargis of Hargis Collision Center. Hargis said the pickup he was referencing was the third such accident that had came into his shop in the past week.
Officials say that peak deer season is Mid-October through the end of November. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet may put out an "Antler Alert" if the problem intensifies in the coming weeks as it did in Fall 2021.
