As you are driving, always be scanning the ditches and landscape near the road for deer and other animals, especially during dusk and dawn when deer are most active.  While it may seem counter-intuitive, the safest course of action, if you see a deer on the road, is to keep moving forward on your path and possibly hit it rather than swerving to avoid it. If you swerve, you run the risk of hitting oncoming traffic or going off the road. While you may damage your car, you’re much less likely to be seriously injured if you hit the deer.

Swerve or braking for a deer, can be deadly –  https://youtu.be/uLROtcEQsJc

For 2019, there have been 267 fatalities reported. That’s an increase of two since last Monday. The 2018 fatality count stands at 319. This is subject to change as law enforcement reports are completed. To see statistics published daily by the Bureau of Driver & Identification Services, go to the daily fatality report at https://www.iowadot.gov/mvd/stats/daily.pdf.