If your commute takes you past woods or open land in Waxhaw, Weddington, Marvin or Matthews, now is the time to watch the shoulders. The N.C. Department of Transportation says deer movement on roads statewide picks up sharply from October through December, driven by mating and hunting seasons, while shorter days make the animals harder to see.

How the Charlotte area ranks

According to NCDOT, Union County recorded 1,709 animal-related crashes over the three years from 2023 through 2025, with 70 injuries. That ranks fifth among North Carolina's 100 counties. Wake County was first with 2,836.

Mecklenburg County had 1,272 animal-related crashes over the same three years, 13th in the state, according to NCDOT's county-by-county animal crash report, published in July 2026.

Statewide, about 8% of all reported crashes involve an animal, NCDOT says, and its analysis estimates about 90% of those involve deer.

(Some coverage this week attributed Union County's 1,709 figure to Mecklenburg; NCDOT's own tables show it belongs to Union County.)

NCDOT's tips for avoiding a deer crash

  • Slow down near deer crossing signs and in heavily wooded areas, especially in the late afternoon and evening.
  • Be extra alert near bridges, overpasses, railroad tracks, streams and ditches, where most deer crashes happen.
  • Use your high beams when you can and watch for eyes reflecting in your headlights.
  • Deer often travel in small groups. If you see one, expect more.
  • If you see deer near the road, slow down and give one long blast of the horn.
  • Don't swerve. Leaving your lane can cause a more serious crash.
  • Leave plenty of following distance at night. If the car ahead hits a deer, you could be involved too.

If you hit a deer

Don't touch the animal, since a frightened, injured deer can be dangerous. Get your vehicle off the road if you can and call 911, NCDOT advises.

For more on the area, see our Waxhaw neighborhood hub and neighborhood guides.

Sources: NCDOT: Avoiding Collisions with Deer, NCDOT 2025 Animal Crash Data report, Charlotte Stories