HUBBARD, Ohio - It would seem that no one is immune from the possibility of being involved in a traffic accident involving deer this time of year.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol is investigating after a Sharon Police cruiser struck a deer in Hubbard early Wednesday.

It happened along Route 62 and Thomas Road just after 1:30 a.m.

The police officer wasn’t injured in the crash.

Car-deer crashes increase between October and December each year during mating season.

Records show that over the past year, there have been 446 accidents involving deer in Trumbull County; 432 in Mahoning County; and 266 in Columbiana County.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the average insurance claim for a deer-vehicle collision in Ohio is nearly $5,000.