With autumn underway, deer are on the move and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and its safety partners are reminding drivers to be alert for deer crossing area roadways.

The number of deer-related crashes in Pennsylvania has been on the rise since 2020, with last year’s total of 6,426 setting a five-year high, according to PennDOT data. The trend was the same in PennDOT’s northwest region – Crawford, Erie, Forest, Mercer, Venango, and Warren counties – with 566 deer-related crashes reported last year, the highest mark since 2020.

“While we can’t control deer movement, we can control our actions behind the wheel and put ourselves in the best position possible to avoid these types of crashes,” said Mike Tautin, a Community Traffic Safety Project Coordinator with the Highway Safety Network.

For more safety tips to help prevent deer-related crashes, please visit their website HERE.