(La Porte County, IN) - Motor vehicle collisions with deer are still rising at a time when deer pose the most significant hazard to motorists.

La Porte County Sheriff John Boyd said his department handled 19 crashes with deer in September and 43 in October.

During Wednesday’s La Porte County Sheriff Merit Commission meeting, Boyd said the increase is typical because it’s mating season, and deer are driven from cover by farmers harvesting cornfields.

Boyd advised drivers to keep a sharper eye out for deer while traveling.