By: Quise Varoz
Fall brings more than changing leaves and cooler temperatures to Nebraska roads. Deer also become more active, increasing the chance drivers will encounter them on the road.
Breeding season is one reason for the increase. Nebraska Game and Parks Commission deer and wildlife expert Luke Meduna says deer movement increases in the fall as bucks search for does. Deer are not necessarily attracted to roads, he says, but they are moving more often and crossing roads more frequently.
Crop harvests can also change deer movement. As corn and other crops are harvested, areas that provided cover during the summer can disappear, pushing deer into different areas and sometimes toward roads. Nebraska Game and Parks warn drivers to be especially alert near shelterbelts, woodlots, rivers and creeks, particularly around dawn and dusk.
For drivers, a collision can mean more than damage to a vehicle. Cassandra Williams, a UNO student and deer collision survivor, says her crash left a lasting impression. She says the impact caused her vehicle to spin out of control and forced her to immediately worry about whether everyone involved was safe.
Williams says the experience changed the way she drives. She is now more cautious and slows down in areas where deer may be nearby.
National insurance data also shows why fall is a time for drivers to pay attention. State Farm’s 2025-26 data, compiled by the Insurance Information Institute, places Nebraska 31st among the 50 states and Washington, D.C., for the likelihood of an animal-collision insurance claim, with odds of about 1 in 161. The ranking covers collisions with animals generally, not deer alone, although deer are the most commonly struck animal.
State Farm estimates that U.S. drivers filed about 1.65 million animal-collision insurance claims from July 2025 through June 2026. Nebraska’s state crash data also show that deer are responsible for thousands of reported crashes: 2,089 deer crashes were recorded in 2020.
As deer activity increases this fall, Nebraska Game and Parks recommends that drivers slow down, stay alert and be prepared to stop. If a deer is spotted, drivers should expect others to be nearby. Officials also advise against swerving sharply, which can cause a driver to lose control of the vehicle.
For Nebraska drivers, the message is simple: fall means more deer movement, and more movement means drivers need to be ready for a deer to cross the road.
