(KFVS) - The Missouri State Highway Patrol is warning drivers to be more cautious this time of year for deer on the roadways.
Colonel Ron Replogle, superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, says deer are more active this time of year and drivers should be especially careful during evening and early dawn hours.
Deer behavior changes due to mating season, which may cause an increase in roadway crossings. Hunting and crop harvesting may result in these animals being in places that aren't usual for them.
Last year, drivers in Missouri experienced 3,563 wrecks involving deer. Because of those crashes, four people were killed and 367 were injured. 26.7 percent of the crashes involving deer happened in urban areas.