It’s mating season for deer and the Illinois Department of Transportation is urging drivers to be careful on the road.
Last year, there were more than 16,000 deer-vehicle crashes reported in Illinois, with 40% occurring October thru December. 265 of those crashes were in Marion County and seven involved injuries. IDOT’s Paul Wappel has this advice.
“If you see a deer please slow down and prepare for the unexpected. Deer may stop in the middle of the road or double back. They can flourish in rural, suburban, urban environments…it doesn’t matter. And if a collision is inevitable, try to glance your vehicle off the deer and avoid entering other lanes of traffic.”
Some of the most populous counties in the state have also had the most crashes, including Cook County which includes Chicago. Madison County in the Metro-East, Sangamon County which includes the Springfield area and Will County which includes Joliet are at the top of the list.
In the rest of South Central Illinois, 121 crashes with seven injuries were reported in Clay County, 156 crashes with five injuries in Clinton County, 200 crashes with nine injuries in Fayette County, 226 crashes with 11 injuries in Jefferson County, 126 crashes with five injuries in Washington County and 137 crashes with three injuries in Wayne County.
