MDOT urges drivers to be cautious of deer on side of the road

As the season slowly changes into autumn, the Mississippi Department of Transportation is urging everyone driving in the state to keep an eye out for deer.

According to MDOT, deer become more active and visible on our Mississippi roadways during this time of year.

MDOT leaders say Mississippi averages more than 3,600 reported deer-related crashes each year, causing major property damage, and even worse, claiming lives with nearly 4,000 deer-related crashes reported just last year.

If you do hit a deer on a roadway though, Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks notes it is illegal for anyone to pick up a deer or rehabilitate it.

Missy Dubuisson with Wild at Heart Rescue in Vancleave says this is because of the spread of chronic wasting disease in our state. “Chronic wasting disease is a prion that attaches to the brain of the deer and it causes their body to just waste away. It could be dormant in a deer for several years before it actually manifest in their bodies, so if we take a deer in and rehab it and then release it back, we’ve now contaminated our enclosures and it could wipe out the deer population of Mississippi. So, it’s just best to leave them where they are.”

Missy says if you’re extremely concerned call 1-800-BE-SMART and an officer will be dispatched to the scene.