Car-deer accidents are on the rise. This autumn, Police are reminding drivers to watch for the animals on the road. The Missouri State Highway Patrol worked 3,419 deer-vehicle accidents in 2007. Roughly translated, this means one car wreck in fifty is caused by deer. That may not sound like a lot, but more than half of last year's deer-vehicle accidents happened in the last four months of the year. Jon Skinner, Urban Forester for the Missouri Department of Conservation, told KODE, "This time of year is the mating season for deer. And so, with the mating season, there's allot of chasing of does by the bucks. So that adds to the movement of the animals." Statistically, the most dangerous month for seeing deer in traffic is November, when nearly a quarter of all deer-car wrecks happen. "People need to be paying attention", Skinner warned. "A deer only weighs a couple hundred pounds, but with the combination of the speed of your vehicle and the accident that may occur after the impact with the animal, you could have some serious injuries." Understanding when, where and how these crashes occur could help drivers avoid deer on our roads. "When folks are watching for deer, we need to think about...morning, dusk and dawn...and early evening when they're most active. They're moving around. They're getting from bedding areas to feeding areas, and back again." So...What do you do if you hit a deer? Sgt. Mike Watson of the Missouri State Highway Patrol advises drivers "to make sure you get off the road safely. Make sure that everyone's not hurt. Anybody else in the vehicle, make sure they're not hurt. If they are hurt, obviously you want to call 9-1-1 and get some medical attention. If you do have considerable amount of damage to your vehicle, or any damage to your vehicle, the first thing that I would suggest is to contact your insurance company... and I would contact law enforcement if you need a report." Deer are most commonly killed by cars traveling state lettered highways or U.S. highways, but not as often on Interstate highways. You're seven times more likely to hit a deer on a secondary road than on an Interstate highway. Jasper County is in the top 25 percent of Missouri counties for most traffic accidents involving deer. Newton County is in the next highest group, while McDonald County is in the quarter of Missouri counties that see the fewest deer-car accidents. Police say it's a good idea to limit your distractions while driving. And drive with your high beams on when there's no oncoming traffic. And of course, always wear your seat belt. For more recommendations, visit the Missouri State Patrol's website at www.mshp.dps.mo.gov Or check out the Missouri Department of Conservation online at www.mdc.mo.gov