Kenton County drivers logged 57 deer-related crashes in 2025, and state officials warn the most dangerous months run from October through December.

Team Kentucky — the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources — issued a statewide warning Tuesday, Sept. 29, urging motorists to stay alert as deer mating season picks up. Male deer roam farther during this period to find mates and food, pushing them across roads at all hours.

"Drivers should be aware that they could see deer crossing quiet lanes and busy highways at any time during the season, particularly at dawn and dusk," Joe McDermott, deer program coordinator for the department, said in the advisory.

Kenton County's 57 crashes ranked 18th among Kentucky's 120 counties in 2025, according to LINK nky. Neighboring Boone County fared worse, recording 94 crashes for the fifth-highest total statewide. Campbell County ranked eighth with 80.

Statewide numbers hit a seven-year high

Kentucky State Police data shows deer-vehicle collisions reached 3,411 in 2025, an 18.2% increase since 2020. No fatalities were reported, down from six in 2024. Thirty people suffered serious injuries.

Nearly half of all deer crashes statewide occurred in the final three months of the year. November was the worst month with 823 collisions, followed by October with 394 and December with 330, as reported by WSON Radio from Kentucky Transportation Cabinet data.

Crashes peaked during evening commuting hours. The state recorded 304 collisions at 6 p.m., 281 at 8 p.m. and 242 at 7 p.m.

What drivers should do

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet advises motorists to:

  • Stay alert in wooded areas, especially at dawn and dusk.
  • Wear a seatbelt and put phones away.
  • Use high beams when no other vehicles are approaching.
  • Take your foot off the gas when you see a deer. Do not swerve.
  • Report all deer-vehicle collisions to law enforcement.

Kentucky received a $1.2 million federal grant in 2024 to develop a wildlife-vehicle collision reduction plan. A pilot study is examining the U.S. 60/Interstate 64 corridor in Jefferson, Shelby and Franklin counties.