Car-Deer Crashes Decline in Ohio

Officials say vehicle collisions with deer have been on the decline on Ohio roads, but motorists still need to be alert for the animals this fall and winter.

The Ohio Department of Public Safety says the state had about 24,600 deer-vehicle crashes in 2008, down 6.5 percent from 2007.

The department said in a news release issued with other state agencies and an insurance industry group that six people were killed last year in wrecks involving deer. That compares with 10 fatalities in 2007 and a dozen in 2006.

The county with the highest number of deer-vehicle collisions in 2008 was Summit, which includes Akron, with 601.

Officials say most of the crashes come between October and January, when deer are breeding.

On the Net: Ohio Department of Public Safety: www.publicsafety.ohio.gov/

Ohio Insurance Institute: www.ohioinsurance.org