Officials Urge Caution For Deer On Lake Area Roadways

It’s no secret here at the lake but it’s that time of the year when deer are just about everywhere and, unfortunately, will be the cause of more than just a few headaches when they run out in front of you while you’re driving.

“The recommendation is…if you can slow down, great. If you can’t, go ahead and hit the deer and try to keep your car going straight” says MoDOT Central District Area Engineer Bob Lynch.

The highway patrol’s Captain John Hotz says, last year alone, there were more than 3,600 traffic crashes involving deer resulting in five fatalities and 348 people injured.

The majority of deer-strike crashes occur this month, most commonly between 6-7am and 6-7pm.

And, in most cases according to MoDOT and the highway patrol, when you see a deer on or close to the roadway, chances are there are a few more to watch for in the same area.