As the weather cools off, road hazards increase.

Wet leaves and wandering deer can lead to treacherous road conditions, and student drivers need to take precautions.

The cooler weather also leads to fog issues early in the morning, right in time for students to drive to school.

Frost is also an overlooked hazard when it comes to driving. In the fall, warmer day temperatures combined with drastic temperature drops at night leads to morning frost on the road. This issue can turn the roads slick, especially in shaded areas, bridges, and overpasses. Rated in the top 15 causes of car accidents, according to The Huffington Post, animal crossings are a serious issue for drivers everywhere. This issue is only exacerbated in the fall months since deer mate in the fall.

“I don’t think I’ve ever noticed more deer in the fall,” said senior Max McManus. “I’ve never really paid attention to it that much though. Deer are just always something that you have to think about when you drive, no matter what season.”

“I hit a deer on my way back from practice” said senior Lorenzo Falsone. “It was scary. I was going like 60 miles an hour and it just jumped out in front of my Civic and the thing flew like 15 feet. I felt pretty bad about it.”

Cooler temperatures can bring more direct hazards to your safety. The word “frost” brings to mind a cheery winter wonderland, but when on top of asphalt, frost can quickly turn to ice and cause a plague of issues for drivers everywhere. When combined with the hazard of wet leaves, fall roads can become a slip n slide.

“I haven’t noticed frost on the roads yet,” said junior Keith White. “But I have a truck, so even when it does start getting nippy outside I won’t really worry about it. I feel like the only real issue is when it turns into ice.”

Whether it’s deer, wet leaves, or frosty roads, fall brings a plethora of additional risks that drivers need to take into account before they take to the roads. Insurance companies advise slower speeds and just overall more conscientious driving.

On colder days drivers need to be aware of slick roads, on rainy days, drivers need to be aware of wet leaves which could also cause roads to slicken, and drivers need to be aware of deer and other animals year-round.