COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH)-- Tis the season for deer crashes. Deer-related crashes rise exponentially in the fall, and the reason why, ODNR State Wildlife Officer Mark Williams said, boils down to the deer's most basic instinct: reproducing. "They become one-track-minded," Willams explained. "They go into full breeding mode. They are seeking out does, their vigilance, their guard-- everything is dropped immensely. They become oblivious to a lot of their surroundings. It's why it's a favorite time of the year for hunters, because their prey of choice is not paying attention as much they are entirely devoted to chasing down the does and passing on their genes." When that happens, they are more likely to bolt out into the middle of the road. "We've seen them on 270 we've seen them on 70," he said. "You know, they'll cross the road just about anywhere they think they can do it if they think there's a doe on the other side. So I would just say exercise extreme caution around anything we would consider edge habitat, wood lines, especially because that's where deer like to come out to eat." Last year in Ohio, there were more than 20,000 deer-related crashes, according to Ohio State Highway Patrol data; 13 of which were fatal. AAA has tips for how to try and avoid animal collisions: Be especially attentive in early morning and evening: 5-8 a.m. and 5-8 p.m. Reduce speed and be alert near wooded areas or green spaces such as parks, golf courses, streams or ponds At night, use high beams when there's no oncoming traffic. If an animal is in your path, stay in your lane. Swerving away from animals can cause even worse crashes if you steer into oncoming traffic or into an object on the side of the road