Unless Missourians want roadkill instead of turkey this Thanksgiving, state officials say drivers should be on the lookout for deer on their holiday travel routes – especially in the middle of the state.
Missouri State Highway Patrol Sergeant Kyle Green said there were hundreds of deer-related collisions on the highways surrounding Columbia last November, including more than 40 on U.S. 63, nearly 30 on U.S. 50, more than 20 on Interstate 70 and about 20 on U.S. 54.
“The vast majority of the deer strikes are occurring more in the rural communities or cities that are not as big,” he said. “Mid-Missouri, down south, the lake — I think that's where you're going to see the largest (number of collisions).”
The Missouri Department of Commerce and Insurance is warning Missouri drivers to use extra caution this time of year because more deer are on the move at the height of mating and hunting seasons. According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, nearly 3,600 Missouri drivers experienced crashes involving deer in 2023, adding up to one accident about every two and a half hours.
Nationally, Missouri consistently ranks in the top 15 states for deer-related collisions.
“We have a lot of farmland, we have a lot of rivers, we have a lot of open space and we have a lot of wilderness. And so, when you have those different things, you have more animals,” Green said l. “It really doesn't have anything to do with roads, road designs, vehicles or the deer themselves. It's just the fact that we have a large deer population in this part of the country, and then unfortunately, it affects some of our travelers on the roadway.”
According to AAA, 1.5 million Missourians are predicted to drive 50 or more miles from home this Thanksgiving period, which takes place from Nov. 26 to Dec. 2. AAA spokesman Nick Chabarria said the projection is a significant increase even from pre-pandemic travel.
“People are more comfortable with travel, and more importantly, especially around the holidays, they want to get out and visit family and friends and loved ones,” Chabarria said. “Missouri is no exception to the record number of travelers expected for this Thanksgiving.”
The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) has released a statement warning motorists of heavy traffic, especially the Wednesday before and Sunday after Thanksgiving.
Interstates I-70, I-44 and I-55, along with U.S. highways 63, 54, 36 and 60 will see the vast majority of holiday travel, said Jon Nelson, MoDOT’s state highway safety and traffic engineer. But typical roads will also see a high volume of traffic, especially on Black Friday, he said.
“We do immediately think about the highways and the interstates when it comes to holiday travel, but a lot of that spills over into communities, right?” Nelson said. “Whether that's large urban areas or smaller communities, there generally are going to be more people out and about this weekend.”
Holiday travelers should be on the lookout for deer in wooded, rural areas directly outside of Missouri cities, Green said.
Tips for avoiding deer
AAA notes that the worst times for traffic ahead of Thanksgiving will be between 1 and 7 p.m. each day and the best times to hit the road will be in the late morning., depending on the day.
In addition to avoiding traffic, Nelson said driving during the daytime helps motorists avoid hazards such as deer.
“This time of year, it does get darker sooner, and that always adds a layer of complexity to driving,” Nelson said.
Sunrise and sunset are the most likely time a driver will collide with a deer, Green said.
“They'll travel sometimes together. And you may see one run across the road and think, ‘Oh, I'm glad I missed that one.’ And then here come second, third and fourth,” he said.
Green also said Missouri drivers shouldn’t “veer for the deer,” because most crashes where drivers swerved away from deer led to more significant damage and injuries.
Nelson and Green both encouraged other safe-driving habits such as putting down cellphones, wearing seat belts, securing designated drivers and leaving home with extra travel time.
“Unfortunately, just about every year, seven, eight (or) nine, people lose their life in a traffic crash during the Thanksgiving holiday period in Missouri,” Nelson said. “When you think about the holiday period and spending time with family and friends and being grateful, certainly that's the last thing that anyone wants to experience.”
