Darting deer make for dangerous drive

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Right now is a dangerous time of year on the road, thanks to deer darting into traffic.

That's because it's mating season, and the animals are on the move - and the bucks aren't worried about cars and trucks.

"They're chasing the does around, they're trying to mate, and the yearling bucks are being dispersed, so they need to find new territory," said Ofc. Jerry Czech of the Pa. Game Commission.

And that's why there are dozens of collisions between vehicles and deer every week in the Philadelphia region.

Some of those crashes have resulted in serious injuries. That was the case in Delaware City on Sunday night when a car slammed into a deer on Route 9, leaving a woman in critical condition.

Compounding the problem: Deer are most active during the heaviest travel times of the day. The dark evening rush hour isn't helping the problem.

The Pennsylvania Game Commission is urging drivers to stay alert. If you see one deer, there's usually more.

"Generally they will be chasing a another deer, or they'll be following several deer, so you need to slow down - maybe put your flashers own - and then keep an eye out for another one," Czech said.

And they're not just in the suburbs. Chopper 6 was over a car that hit a deer on the Schuylkill Expressway in Philadelphia on Monday morning.

"There are plenty of deer inside the city of Philadelphia. With Fairmount Park's 9,000 acres of parklands dispersed throughout the city, there are plenty of deer inside the city that motorists need to be aware of," said Czech.

The deer rutting season began just before Halloween and will peak around mid-November.