Deer need love, too.

But the pursuit of it can be lethal for the majestic mammals, who, during the annual hedonistic period scientifically referred to as breeding, or mating, season – which we're in – have their minds on one goal and are not as in tune with the dangers that may come from entering a road with oncoming traffic.

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources reported last year 16,685 traffic collisions involving deer, which works out to an average of 181 deer-vs.-car crashes per Indiana county.

Nationally, more than 150 people die in deer-vehicle collisions annually, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

The overwhelming number of those crashes occur between late October and early December, when deer hormones are raging and instincts are overcome by an appetite for procreation.

“In terms of activity, this is the most active part of a deer's year,” said Chad Stewart, a deer research biologist with the DNR. “They're out running around a lot more because it's their breeding season, and they have a one-track mind, and all others things fall by the wayside.

“Survival isn't their top priority within a couple-week period, it's other things. It's romance.”

Stewart explained the hormones that fire during a deer's mating season can cloud the innate fear and cautiousness normally present in the animal. They can also make a deer uncharacteristically and inexplicably dart into roads, he said.

When deer aren't as in tune with their surroundings, such rash and ill-advised movements equal bad news for deer crossing roads or the vehicles barreling down on them. And unfortunately, with the sheer number of both vehicles and deer, their paths are destined to cross.

Besides the obvious dangers to the deer, an amorous white tail can total the average vehicle upon collision and mean serious consequences for its occupants. The average buck weighs 130-300 pounds, with a doe 90-200 pounds. Few windshields can sustain that kind of mass.

Couple that with the dangers of deer being most active at dawn and dusk, when visibility and light are low, and drivers need to practice defensive driving techniques, Stewart suggests.

In low-light conditions, drivers should use high beams when applicable and be on constant lookout for deer loitering on the side of roads or the reflection of the animals' eyes, Stewart said. If you see one deer, Stewart said it's safe to assume others are close by, and those are commonly the ones that will dart in a vehicle's path.

Stewart's best advice for drivers is to slow down, avoid in-car distractions like cell phones and incessantly scan the road and the surrounding areas. While one can't avoid the inevitable, precautions can be made to lessen the odds, he says.

Thankfully, the season of deer whoopee is nearly over, and if you don't quite understand yet why the dangers exist, Stewart suggests you ask yourself, what would you do?

“Like I explain to other people, if humans had only a couple weeks to find love, you'd be a little crazy, too,” said Stewart. It's the only time of year they can spread their genes, “so they prioritize that and it becomes their sole mission during that time, and obviously that can lead to any sort of chaos here while drivers are driving.”