Deer-vehicle crashes peak in autumn months

By Tom Hintgen

Otter Tail County Correspondent 

Sheriff deputies, on Oct. 29, reported that seven heads of cattle were killed in a semi crash close to 9 p.m. near the intersection of Highway 35 and 360th Street, near Star Lake in central Otter Tail County. Four more cattle were euthanized after the crash.

A total of 37 heads of cattle were being transported when the accident took place. The driver, not injured, was attempting to make a left turn from Highway 35 onto 360th Street when the accident took place.

Sheriff deputies were assisted at the scene of the accident by fire departments from Dent and Vergas. The driver of the semi was 27-year-old Romo Ballin of Wichita, Kansas. He was driving a Kenworth semi with trailer.

Watch for deer

Deer-vehicle crashes peak in the autumn months, but Minnesota’s deer population makes them a safety hazard on the road all year long.  Deer crashes are especially dangerous for motorcyclists, a group which accounted for 15 of the 18 vehicle-deer related deaths over a five-year period (2016-2020).

Motorist safety tips to avoid deer crashes:

• Drive at safe speeds and always be buckled up.

• Be especially cautious from 6-9 p.m. when deer are most active.

• Use high beams as much as possible at night, especially in deer-active areas.