SAFETY ALETY: Deer mating season drives up collision risks in CSRA

As deer enter their annual breeding season, known as the rut, collision risks may increase in the CSRA.Deer mating season peaks in South Carolina and Georgia from mid-October through mid-November, according to experts.Across South Carolina, there have been roughly 4,100 deer-related collisions so far this year, according to state numbers. Since 2021, there have been over 6,000 deer-related collisions per year in the state, according to the S.C. Highway Patrol. In 2025, almost half of the 6,500 incidents happened between October and December.Georgia doesn’t track cumulative deer-vehicle collision numbers for a year as it unfolds. But the Peach State averages 45,000 to 55,000 animal-related vehicle collisions each year. Most deer-vehicle collisions happen between 5 a.m. and 8 a.m. and between 5 p.m. and 10 p.m., because deer tend to move more at those times.Those hours also usually coincide with when most people are commuting to and from work. Reduced daylight and visibility during those