Collisions with deer are more likely this time of year. Tips to stay safe

Are you prepared if a deer bounds into the path of your vehicle?

More than a half-million vehicle collisions with deer happen each year in the United States, with October through December the riskiest months, AAA Northern California reports.

Insurance companies processed 1.9 million animal collision claims in the U.S. from July 2019 to June 2020, State Farm reported.

More than 200 people die each year in animal-vehicle collisions, Defenders of Wildlife reported.

In California, the average animal-related insurance claim for a vehicle last year was $4,525, AAA Northern California reported in a news release.

What are the chances of a collision with wildlife?

On average, U.S. drivers have a 1 in 116 chance of hitting an animal.

Drivers in West Virginia have the highest chance of a collision with wildlife at 1 in 37, according to statistics compiled by State Farm. Other highest-risk states include Montana, Pennsylvania, South Dakota and Iowa.

Perhaps not surprisingly, drivers in highly urbanized Washington, D.C., have the lowest risk, at 1 in 816. Other lowest-risk states include Hawaii, Nevada, Arizona, California and Florida.

Alaska, which has plenty of wildlife but fewer drivers, ranks 45th with a 1 in 325 chance of a collision with wildlife, State Farm reported.

Tips to avoid collisions with wildlife

“Although deer and other animals are unpredictable, there are actions you can take to help prevent an accident or reduce the damage from an animal collision,” said Sergio Avila, AAA Northern California spokesperson.

Here are some things you can do to reduce your risk of hitting an animal this season:

• Be especially attentive in the early morning and evening, when deer are most active.
• If you spot a deer, slow down and look for others. Deer rarely travel alone.
• Flip on your high beams when there’s no oncoming traffic to give yourself more time to react if you spot a deer or other animal in the road.
• Don’t use a whistle. There’s no evidence that vehicle-mounted deer whistles have any effect.
• Honk your horn in one long blast if you spot an animal, which may startle it into moving out of the road.
• If you’re about to hit an animal, hit your brakes but don’t swerve, which could confuse the animal and put you at risk of hitting oncoming vehicles or veering off the road.
• Always wear a seatbelt.

This story was originally published November 19, 2020 at 8:54 AM with the headline "Collisions with deer are more likely this time of year. Tips to stay safe."