Kentucky man dies when driver swerves to miss deer, collides with his vehicle
A Kentucky man was killed in a crash Sunday when he was struck by a vehicle that was trying to avoid a deer, according to Kentucky State Police.
The wreck happened about 11:30 a.m. on Scottsville Road in Barren County, according to a release.
The preliminary investigation indicated that a 47-year-old Scottsville man driving a 2000 GMC Sierra pickup truck swerved to avoid a deer, crossed into the other lane, and hit a 2009 GMC Sierra.
The driver of the 2009 truck, 76-year-old Danny Webb of Cave City, died, police said. A passenger in his truck was also injured.
The driver who swerved to miss the deer was taken to a hospital in Nashville with serious injuries.
The state Transportation Cabinet said drivers need to be alert to the potential danger of hitting a deer this time of year. Nearly half of all collisions involving deer happen in October, November and December.
One reason is that this is mating season, meaning deer roam more.
During mating season, “bucks focus only on chasing does, oblivious to most everything else, including traffic,” Joe McDermott, deer program coordinator with the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, said in a release.
Crop-harvesting activities also put deer on the move, according to a release from the Transportation Cabinet.
There were 3,228 crashes reported last year involving a vehicle hitting a deer in Kentucky, the most in five years, according to the cabinet.
Three people died as a result of those collisions, and 30 people were seriously hurt.
The top 10 counties for crashes involving deer were Hopkins, Boone, Hardin, Henderson, Christian, Pulaski, Warren, Campbell, Muhlenberg and Barren, the cabinet said.
The release referenced a report by State Farm Insurance that said drivers in Kentucky have a greater-than-average chance of hitting a deer on the road.
Nationally, drivers have a 1 in 128 chance of colliding with an animal, but the odds in Kentucky are 1 in 98, according to the report.
The cabinet offered guidance to help drivers avoid deer collisions:
▪ Be on the lookout for deer, especially in wooded areas during the early morning hours and at dusk, when deer will be more active. Scan the sides of the road to watch for deer.
▪ Always wear a seat belt — it’s the law — and eliminate distractions. Put your phone down.
▪ Keep headlights on bright except when a vehicle is approaching.
▪ Slow down if you see a deer crossing the road. They tend to travel in groups.
▪ Don’t swerve to avoid hitting a deer. That can cause a more serious crash.
The cabinet asks that people report deer crashes to the police. Engineers use the information to decide where to place warning signs and take safety measures.
