A young deer crosses a rural road northeast of Lawrence recently. Motorists are urged to be cautious of the animals during their current mating season, when they are on the move in great numbers at dawn and dusk.

It’s deer-breeding season, and that means motorists have a new traffic hazard to worry about through December, the Kansas Highway Patrol says.

State statistics show 9,197 vehicle-deer crashes statewide in 2006. Those crashes caused 291 injuries and three deaths. In Douglas County, there were 194 accidents. The highest number of the accidents occurred in November.

Some of the most serious crashes occur when drivers lose control of their vehicles trying to avoid a deer, according to the Highway Patrol. It is usually safer to strike a deer than to strike another object such as another vehicle or tree, troopers say.

If you hit a deer, pull to the shoulder of the road and turn on your emergency flashers. If you have a cell phone, call the Highway Patrol by dialing 47, or if you are on the Kansas Turnpike dial KTA (582).

Here are other tips for avoiding deer:

¢ Be especially alert for deer at dawn and dusk.

¢ Increase the distance between your vehicle and other vehicles.

¢ Drive at modest speeds, especially near woods, parks, streams or creeks.

¢ Deer usually travel in groups, so when one deer crosses the road, others may be nearby.