Stay alert! You are more likely to hit a deer in north Georgia this week than any other time of year

ATLANTA — Crash after crash, every year, thousands of Georgia drivers hit a deer, causing damage, injury and even death.

The state’s wildlife resources division warns your risk this time of year is higher. Here’s why: deer are more likely to cross the road quickly because it’s mating season from October until late December.

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“That puts drivers at more risk because they’re being chased around, bucks chasing does, and oftentimes groups of deer moving across roads,” state deer biologist Charlie Killmaster.

Killmaster says it’s also the time change with drivers hitting the road when deer are most active at dawn and dusk.

A map from the Department of Natural Resources shows peak deer activity during mating season. The map shows that areas like Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Henry and Paulding counties saw the peak activity between Nov. 3 and 9.

Other counties, including Cherokee, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett and Hall, are expected to see peak activity between Nov. 10 and Nov. 16.

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What can you do to stay safe? Scan the side of the roads, and if you see one deer, there’s probably more.

“And sometimes, it’s the second deer that people end up hitting thinking the danger has crossed.”

As tough as it sounds, if a collision is inevitable, hit the brakes.

“Swerving into a tree or another vehicle, there’s going to be far more danger from a human safety standpoint than just slamming on the brakes and hitting the deer,” Killmaster said.

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