Fear the Walking Deer

Robert Moore

Herald Staff

rmoore@harrodsburgherald.com

What even more brainless than a zombie but causes a lot more damage to your car? A deer, that’s what. State and local officials are warning motorists  to be on the look out for the whitetail walkers, especially this time of year.

About half of deer-vehicle collisions are reported during the last months of the year, according to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, Department of Highways (KYTC).

While deer can be encountered anywhere, Mercer County Sheriff Ernie Kelty said deer on the western side of Mercer County are especially bad this time of year.

“It seems like we take a lot of deer strikes out there,” Kelty said. “We’ve got a heavy deer population on the west side.”

The sheriff said his deputies handle a lot of deer-related accidents on Mackville and Perryville Roads.

“Although 127 is getting up there,” Kelty said. He said his staff has handled several recent accidents in the McAfee area, “which is kind of unusual.”

Glenn Phillips, acting directing of the Mercer County Emergency Management Agency, said deer were also heavy along McCoun’s Ferry Road in Salvisa.

“There’s a huge deer population along the Kentucky River,” Phillips said.

According to the 15th annual State Farm deer claim study, the national claim cost per claim average from July 1, 2016, through June 30, 2017, was $4,179—up from $3,995 in 2015.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, about 150 people are killed nationwide each year in motor vehicle crashes involving deer.