Deer Collisions Spike in November; How to Avoid a Crash

By MARC TORRENCE (Patch National Staff)

November brings cooler weather, but it’s also when deer start coming out for mating season.

According to the Howard County Police Department, there were 57 deer-vehicle collisions reported countywide in October, versus 27 in September and 18 in August.

Here are some tips to stay safe on the road, for both drivers and deer.

How To Avoid Hitting A Deer On The Road

1. Be aware during prime deer time

Dusk and dawn are the prime times for deer to be out in the road, according to the Association of Fish and Wildlife agencies.

Those times also can limit visibility, with the sun being near the horizon causing glare and affecting vision.

2. Don’t swerve

“You want to avoid the secondary collision,” Insurance Institute for Highway Safety spokesman Russ Rader told Patch. “And if you’re swerving suddenly, you’re increasing your risk by hitting another car or leaving the roadway.”

Instead, you should brake firmly when you see an animal in your path, but continue to stay in your lane.

3. Drive slowly

“The best advice is to heed deer warning signs and slow down in areas where deer are prevalent,” Rader said.

And if you see one, other deer are likely to be nearby. You can give your horn a short, firm blast to scare others in the area away.

4. Use your brights (when there’s no oncoming traffic, of course)

Not only will this help you see the road better, but it will help you detect deer more easily.

“The high beams will better illuminate the eyes of deer on or near the roadway,” the Insurance Information Institute says.

5. Don’t use special devices

Deer whistles and special reflectors for your car are marketed to scare deer away, but it’s more likely that they’re just another way to swindle some sucker out of five or 10 bucks.

“These devices have not been proven to reduce deer-vehicle collisions,” the institute says.

So I Hit A Deer; Now What?

State Farm gives six steps to take if you do end up hitting a deer:

1. Move your vehicle to a safe place: Get it off the road, if possible, and turn on your hazard lights.

2. Call the police: They can make sure traffic gets stopped, if needed, and take down information for your insurance claim.

3. Document the incident: Take photos of everything — the deer, your car, any injuries to you or your passengers. You should also get contact information from any witnesses who saw the crash.

4. Don’t touch the animal: It could be carrying disease, or if it’s still alive, it could get scared and hurt you.

5. Contact your insurance agent: Get the claims process going ASAP.

6. Don’t assume your vehicle is safe to drive: Check it for fluid leaks, tire damage, broken lights or anything else that may have gone wrong during the crash. If you have any doubts, call a tow truck.

Deer Odds

The odds of a U.S. driver making a claim for hitting a deer, elk or moose is 1 in 169, according to claim data analyzed by State Farm.

In Maryland, which ranked 22nd among the states for the number of car vs. deer crashes, the odds are 1 in 134.

The cost? For each deer hit, $4,135.

And it’s not just deer or property affected. In 2013, 191 people died from hitting an animal, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

“Insurance claims for collisions with deer tend to spike in November,” Rader said. “We’re entering the peak period.”

The top five states nationwide where a driver is most likely to have a collision are (in order): West Virginia, Montana, Iowa, Pennsylvania and South Dakota, according to State Farm.

The State Farm study used the company’s insurance claim data from July 1, 2014, through June 30, 2015, and projected nationwide trends using data on state-licensed drivers. For more information, check out the full State Farm report here.

Photo Credit: Jeremiah John McBride/Flickr/Creative Commons. Deer information flyer courtesy of Howard County Police.