As hunting season draws closer, deer are more active across Ohio. This also happens simply because of the change in the seasons, as deer tend to be more active as it gets colder. Hunters entering the woods can also change their patterns and behavior significantly.For drivers, this means that the odds of seeing a deer in the road go up. This can often be a startling and unexpected event, especially when it happens at night. So, if you see a deer ahead of you on the road, should you swerve around it to try to avoid an accident?

The danger of swerving

Most safety experts will advise that you do not veer to either side or attempt to swerve around the deer. It is usually safest to hit your brakes, maintain your lane and try to avoid an accident simply by reducing your speed and coming to a stop.Swerving may feel logical and instinctive, but it usually makes things worse. For one thing, you could swerve off of the road and into a ditch, where you may strike a house, a streetlight, a tree or any other stationary object that could lead to a severe crash.On the other hand, you may swerve to your left. But doing that on a rural road means you are typically swerving into oncoming traffic lanes. Even if you think the lanes are empty, this is a very dangerous decision to make. It could result in a head-on collision with another vehicle. Either way, swerving around the deer just makes things worse.

Other drivers’ decisions

You can only control your own decisions, but other drivers may still make mistakes and cause serious accidents. If you are injured as a result, you may deserve financial compensation for medical bills, lost wages and more.