Deer Collisions Climb In Rhode Island In The Fall

PROVIDENCE, RI — Fall is deer mating season in Rhode Island, and the time of the year the state sees the highest number of deer collisions. The state's Department of Environmental Management warned drivers to be extra cautious on the road, especially at dawn and dusk.

Deer mating season will continue through November and much of December, the DEM said. Hitting a deer can easily total a vehicle, averaging repair costs of $2,500 to $6,000. In 2020, the DEM's Division of Fish and Wildlife reported 1,163 vehicle-deer collisions, while, nationally, 190 people died in deer crashes in 2018, according to the Insurance Information Institute.

Under Rhode Island law, drivers are required to report deer collisions to the DEM by calling 401-222-3070, along with local police and insurance.

According to State Farm, the chances of hitting a deer or other animal while driving on a U.S. road jumped by more than 7 percent in the last year, the insurance company found in its 19th annual animal collision study released this week.

Motorists collided with animals an estimated 2.1 million times between July 2020 and June 2021, according to the analysis. Crashes happened in every state and peaked in October, November and December. This aligns with the data from the Rhode Island DEM.

In the 12 months examined by State Farm, Rhode Island motorists had a 1 in 127 chance of colliding with an animal. That puts Ocean State drivers at a high risk of collisions.

State rankings are determined by taking the number of licensed drivers in a state and comparing it to the total number of animal collisions there, according to State Farm.

The company also ranked states based on the number of collisions involving animals where an insurance claim was filed.

The state with the highest number of insurance claims was Pennsylvania, where motorists filed an estimated 166,404 auto insurance claims involving collisions with animals. Michigan came in second, followed by Texas and California, where the number of claims spiked by 65 percent from July 2020 to June 2021. Rounding out the top five was North Dakota.

When considering the likelihood of hitting a deer or other animal, West Virginia took the top spot with a 1 in 37 chance, followed by Montana, where the chances of hitting an animal were 1 in 39, a 17 percent increase from the previous. South Dakota was third with a 1 in 48 chance, followed by Michigan and Pennsylvania, which both had a 1 in 54 chance.

Compare that to the District of Columbia, where it is estimated fewer than 1,000 animal collisions took place during the recent 12-month period analyzed for the study. In the District, drivers have a 1 in 569 chance of hitting an animal.

The Rhode Island DEM offered these tips to drivers to stay safe this fall.

• Be especially attentive during peak deer hours. From sunset to midnight and during the hours shortly before and after sunrise are the highest risk times for deer-vehicle collisions.
• Use extra caution when driving through deer-crossing zones. Scan the shoulders of the road in front of you; deer may dash out from the shoulder or wooded areas adjacent to the road. Also be especially careful in places known to have a large deer population and in areas where roads divide agricultural fields from forestland.
• Know that deer seldom run alone. If you see one deer, others may be nearby.
• Use high beam headlights if driving at night when there is no oncoming traffic. The higher light will better illuminate the eyes of deer on or near the roadway.
• Follow the speed limit. Keeping your speed down will give you more time to respond to unexpected wildlife movements.
• Slow down and blow your horn with one long blast to frighten the deer away.
• Brake firmly but stay in your lane when you notice a deer in or near your path. Many serious crashes occur when drivers swerve to avoid a deer and hit another vehicle or lose control of their cars.
• Always wear your seat belt. Most people injured in car-deer crashes were not wearing their seat belt.
• Do not rely on deer-deterring devices. Deer whistles, deer fences, and reflectors have not been proven to reduce deer-vehicle collisions.
• If your vehicle strikes a deer, do not touch the animal. A frightened and wounded deer can hurt you or further injure itself. The best procedure is to get your car off the road, if possible, and call the police.
• In the event a deer damages your car, contact your insurance agent or company representative to report the incident.