WESTWOOD, Mass., Oct. 16, 2024 – As the days get shorter and temperatures cool down, the odds of hitting a deer on the road heat up. Most deer-related crashes occur between October and December, close to sunset. This time of year coincides with deer rutting – or mating – season, which is when deer are on the move and more aggressive than usual. Because Northeast deer populations have grown dramatically over the past few decades, deer crashes have been rising steadily.