Massachusetts drivers hit 4,347 deer in 2025, up just over 7% from the year before, according to crash data from the state’s IMPACT Crash Data Portal analyzed by AAA Northeast. And the towns at the top of that list aren’t out in the Berkshires. They’re right here.
If you commute through Westport, Freetown, Rochester, Dartmouth or Swansea, you drive through some of the highest-risk deer territory in the state every day. Here’s what the numbers say, why the next six weeks are the worst stretch of the year, and what to do if a deer ends up in front of your bumper.
Which Towns Top the Deer Crash List?
Middleboro recorded the most deer crashes of any Massachusetts town in 2025 with 77, followed by Plymouth with 63. The rest of the top ten reads like a SouthCoast map:
- Westport: 47 (Westport topped the statewide list in 2024)
- Taunton: 47
- Freetown: 46
- Rochester: 45
- Seekonk: 42
- Rehoboth: 41
- Dartmouth: 40
- Swansea: 39
Every one of those ten towns sits in Bristol or Plymouth County. The mix of woods, farmland and busy two-lane roads makes this region prime deer habitat with a lot of commuters moving through it.
Fall Brings the Highest Risk
Deer crashes happen year-round, but the fall mating season concentrates them. Between 2020 and 2025, nearly 40% of Massachusetts deer crashes occurred in September, October and November, according to AAA Northeast. November alone accounts for more than 22% of the year’s deer crashes, which makes a driver nearly three times more likely to hit a deer that month than in any other.
The reason is behavior, not just numbers. During the rut, bucks chase does across open ground and roads, often in daylight, and pay far less attention to traffic than they would the rest of the year. MassWildlife puts peak rut activity in Massachusetts in early to mid-November, which means the riskiest weeks are still ahead.
Why Swerving Makes It Worse
Hitting a deer is dangerous. Swerving to miss one is usually more dangerous.
Massachusetts crash data from 2020 through 2025 shows injuries were reported in just over 3% of crashes where the driver struck the deer directly. When drivers swerved and hit another vehicle, a tree, a pole or a guardrail instead, the injury rate jumped to more than 19%.
A deer is a heavy animal. An oak tree or an oncoming pickup is far heavier. If a collision looks unavoidable, brake firmly, hold the wheel straight and stay in your lane.
How to Avoid Hitting a Deer
AAA Northeast’s guidance for the fall season comes down to a short list:
- Assume there’s more than one. Deer rarely travel alone. If one crosses, slow down and expect another.
- Scan the shoulders, not just the road. Deer come out of wooded edges and brush with almost no warning.
- Use high beams on dark roads when there’s no oncoming traffic.
- Slow down on curves and hills where your sightline is short.
- Lay on the horn with one long blast if you spot a deer early enough. It can startle the animal off the road.
- Drive the speed limit and buckle up. Both cut your odds of a serious injury if a crash does happen.
Extra Caution After the Clocks Fall Back
Daylight saving time ends Sunday, November 1. The week after the change is a rough one for drivers for two reasons.
First, the evening commute suddenly happens in the dark, right when deer are most active. Second, the time shift disrupts sleep. Research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that losing even one to two hours of sleep can double a driver’s crash risk, and a driver who has slept fewer than five hours in a 24-hour period has a crash risk comparable to driving drunk.
Give yourself an extra few minutes on the drive home that first week, and treat Route 6, Route 177, Route 105 and the back roads between them as deer zones until well into December.
What Should You Do After Hitting a Deer?
If it happens, work through these steps:
- Pull over safely and turn on your hazard lights.
- Stay away from the animal. An injured deer can kick or thrash. Don’t try to move it.
- Call the police and file a crash report. Massachusetts law requires drivers to file a Motor Vehicle Crash Operator Report with the RMV within five days when anyone is injured or damage to any vehicle or property exceeds $1,000. A deer strike clears that threshold fast, and a police report also helps with your claim.
- Photograph the damage, the deer if it’s safe to do so, and the location.
- Check whether the car is drivable. Look for leaking fluid, a damaged radiator or a hood that won’t latch. When in doubt, call for a tow.
- Contact your insurance agent as soon as you can to start the claim.
Questions About Your Coverage?
Tetrault Insurance has been helping SouthCoast families sort out auto coverage since 1980. If you’re not sure what your policy would do after a deer strike, or you’d like a second look at your deductibles before November, call us at (508) 995-8365 or stop by the office on Acushnet Avenue. We’ll walk through it with you.