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SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE\/WYOU) \u2014 Now that the sun sets earlier in the evening, more drivers are on the road while deer are most active. The inevitable animal collisions are leading to pile-ups at auto body shops during this time of year.<\/p>\n
The Autumn months are considered the busy season for body shops. While back-to-school traffic is a big part of it, there\u2019s something else causing packed lots at the shops.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe deer. With the mating season coming out with the deer. So, I believe it\u2019s a combination of both, you know, back to school with more of the population moving around, the kids, and then the deer,\u201d Kelly\u2019s Collision Owner Joseph Kelly told 28\/22 News.<\/p>\n
This time of year is breeding season for deer, which is called rut.<\/p>\n
According to the Pennsylvania Game Commission, \u201cMany yearling bucks disperse from the areas they were born, traveling considerable distances to find new ranges\u201d at this time of year.<\/p>\n
With more deer traveling, the chances of animal collisions increase, leading to a spike in business for repair shops.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery day is packed, yes. We can\u2019t keep up with it,\u201d Kelly explained.<\/p>\n
Food Dignity hosts food drive in Luzerne County <\/a><\/p>\n The types of repairs are often similar when it comes to deer collisions, but as technology advances, some repairs take longer than others.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s mostly all front ends, and now with the anti-collision, the radar systems, a lot of sensors, we\u2019re getting into a lot more computer-oriented repairs, which is very costly,\u201d Kelly continued.<\/p>\n Those sensors can be anything from blind spot to front collision to lane sensors, and each of them requires close attention to repair.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s a long process, not just unplugging the one computer, its front radar, and plugging it in; it needs to be aimed and relearned to the vehicle\u2019s main computers,\u201d Kelly added.<\/p>\n While Body Shop employees are adapting to make those newer repairs, the busy season looks like it will continue each year in the fall.<\/p>\n \u201cWe just take it as it comes, and you know, play it out, just do what we can do,\u201d Kelly said.<\/p>\n The Pennsylvania Game Commission is warning drivers to stay alert<\/a> and to lower the 1 in 62 chance of animal collisions that Pennsylvania drivers face.<\/p>\n Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.<\/p>\n