Fall means vehicle-deer collisions, and Lyon County Undersheriff John Koelsch joined KVOE’s 7:05 am newscast with more information on what to do — and what not do — in case of a crash.
This is the time of year when deer are mating, so they are active at dusk and again near sunrise. Koelsch says it may run counter to all driving instincts, but the best course of action may be to hit the deer instead of trying to avoid it.
Most fatalities happen when drivers try to miss a deer and hit a fixed object instead.
If you hit a deer, there is a good chance you will have to report the accident to authorities.
If you abandon your vehicle, you could also be cited.
Deputies also carry deer salvage tags through the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism. Deputies can issue those on request.
Last year, the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office worked 150 vehicle-deer collisions, with most of the activity in the last third of the year — 13 crashes in September, 16 in October, 28 in November and 12 in December. So far this year, there have been 77, including three from Monday to Wednesday.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported 216 such collisions last year in Lyon County with eight injuries. Koelsch says the difference in numbers only reflects the number of cases worked by the reporting agencies. The Highway Patrol also listed 25 injury accidents in our neighboring counties, with one fatality in Morris County.
Information from Lyon County Sheriff’s Office
Information from Kansas Highway Patrol
