Likelihood Of Hitting A Deer

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Sentry18

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States where you are most likely to hit a deer:

1. West Virginia
2. Montana
3. Pennsylvania
4. South Dakota


https://www.statefarm.com/simple-in...ow-likely-are-you-to-have-an-animal-collision

How likely are you to have an animal collision?
What can you do to try to avoid hitting animals when driving on highways and roads?

As fog cleared off the river, two deer bounded into the tall grass near the road. It’s not an uncommon sight for many drivers, especially in October, November, and December. New data shows U.S. drivers on the average have a 1 in 116 chance of a collision with an animal, according to the State Farm® annual study. The company estimates there were over 1.9 million animal collision insurance claims in the U.S. between July 1, 2018 and June 30, 2019.

Where are animal collisions most likely?
West Virginia continues to top the list of states where an individual driver is most likely to run into an animal, with a likelihood of one in 38.

Montana (one in 48 chance of a crash), Pennsylvania (one in 52 chance of a crash), and South Dakota (one in 54) are at the top of the list. Rounding out the top 10 states where drivers are most likely to collide with an animal are Iowa, Wyoming, Wisconsin, South Dakota, Minnesota, Michigan, and Mississippi. The months drivers are most likely to collide with a large animal in the U.S. are (in order) November, October, and December.

How can you avoid deer (and other animals) in your headlights?
The growing deer and other animal populations combined with the displacement of animal habitats are making it more dangerous on the road, and making driver crashes more likely.

There may be no real way to keep animals off the road, but these important safety tips can help prevent animal-car collisions.

Tips to avoid animals in the road
  • Stay alert. Pay attention to "deer crossing" and “wildlife crossing” signs and be cautious in areas near woods or water.
  • Use high beams. Flicking your high beams on an animal in the road may cause the animal to scurry away. High beams also help illuminate dark roads.
  • Don't swerve. If a car crash is inevitable, maintain control of your vehicle and don’t veer off the road.
  • Brake as necessary. If you can avoid hitting the animal, reduce your speed, honk your horn, and tap your brakes to warn other drivers. If there are no drivers behind you, brake hard.
  • Remember peak season. Animal collisions happen most during October through December, which is hunting and mating season.
  • Remember meal time. Watch for animals in the road between dusk and dawn.
  • Watch for herds. If you see one deer, there are probably more nearby.
  • Don't use a whistle. No scientific evidence supports that car-mounted deer whistles work.
  • Wear seat belts. Always obey speed limits and wear seat belts.
 
once in the last 20 years.
it ran out in front of my car, smashes the left side headlight and died, just as well as one of its front leg was smashed beyond repair/ that was about 15 years ago.
 
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A deer ran into the side of my car about 15 years ago when we were driving in North Dakota. We had driven all day from Colorado and daughter was driving. It was really upsetting for her. She wanted to know if we should stop and check on the deer? Nope, he kept going, but could have been seriously hurt. We were almost to Grandma's house (6 miles from the Canadian border, 12 hour drive) and the car was still driveable. The front passenger panel needed to be replaced and the passenger door didn't open all the way until it was repaired.
 
The last two deer I killed I hit with my truck, got meat from both of them...

Deer are creatures of habit. They cross roads at the same crossing points their entire lives. A few exceptions - a tract of timber gets clear cut, a house has been built... some major change to the local environment, even then after a couple of years they will go back as close as possible to the original points. The start of hunting season will also throw a monkey in the works for a couple of weeks but even that will calm down.

Within 5 miles of home I know all the crossing points, same as they were 50 years ago when I began hunting as a teenager. I just drive a little slower when I approach one. So, if you see a couple of deer crossing a road after dusk or at dawn... remember that spot, you will see deer there again.

A little knowledge of local topography goes a long way in hill county. They will usually cross at spots where each side of the road and the road are at the same elevation within a few. Unless of course they are forced to by some unseen event. In other words they don't cross naturally down 20ft embankments or go up them.

If its flat country or you are a traveler, good luck with that. :(

The 2 deer I mentioned hitting above were within 30 yards of each other at a crossing point I know... I was in a hurry both times.
 
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Aren't you more likely to see and hit deer when it is dusk, night or dawn? Aren't they nocturnal?
Not at all. Got a deer at 2pm. The poor lady behind me probably needed a new seat when the deer came out from under my trailer in front of her. Got an elk at 4 am. Both times I was driving a semi.

Most of the movement is right around sunrise and then sun set but it can be at any time of day.
 
The Anchorage area holds about half the population of Alaska and has a resident moose and bear population. I've seen bear and moose on the busiest city streets. Had a deer leap over a guardrail and almost land before I hit it and knocked it back over. There was a steep bank on the other side. I was in high school and wasn't supposed to be driving my parents car. The folks were out of town and I had it repaired before they got back. Years later Dad was bragging about how he knew "everything" I did, though the didn't always call me on it. "So, you knew that I wrecked the Sport Fury?" Nodding his head, "Yep, yep, YOU WRECKED THE SPORT FURY?'' Guess I got away with more than he thought.
 
Likelihood Of Hitting A Deer...

I've hit 2 in thirty years.
Are you trying to brag, 'cause I hit 2 deer in 3 days. :LOL: I can laugh now, but at the time, I was ready to quit driving all together. In all fairness, the second one I saw, slowed way down, and it jumped directly onto my car. We just sold that car this last spring. We called it the blue bullet because it killed more deer than most rifles. That was in Oregon by the way - not sure why it's not on the list. Can't even begin to tell how many deer I've hit over the years. I will say in a small car and rural mountain area, you are more likely to hit them than if in a pick-up or taller vehicle and closer to town.

Edited to add: Deer whistles do not scare them or repel them, what they do is cause them to pop their heads up from the brush. If you are driving at night and in a tall enough rig, you can spot their eyes. I've never hit one in my Bronco (knock on wood) always in small low car.
 
I have avoided two suicidal deer and my brother has hit two - one of them while driving my car.
One deer was after 1:AM on a freeway. I had forgotten how exciting putting a car in a broad slide on dry pavement at 70 mph could be. The state patrolman that had been following way behind me stopped behind me to ask what happened - he hadn't seen the deer, only my broad slide. He was glad that I missed the deer and cautioned me to slow down a bit. He did make a comment on my evasion tactics but I had stayed mostly in my lane and straightened the car out before I pulled over. WOW! what a rush!
 
Are you trying to brag, 'cause I hit 2 deer in 3 days. :LOL: I can laugh now, but at the time, I was ready to quit driving all together. always in small low car.
Now that was funny! :LOL:

Your story reminded me when I was a boy, hadn’t thought of this in years… an older female cousin who used to shoot with all the boys in the family. Her dad had bought her a used VW for her first car, a junker. She'd only had the car a few days when one evening she bumped a deer which ran off. She had almost stopped. Her dad knocked the dents out of the hood or trunk… which ever is in the front.

Not a week later she hit a big rawboned mule, almost stopped again. All she managed to do was ******** the mule… She kept trying to back up but kept putting it a forward gear. That mule kicked out her windshield, caved in the hood. When she got beside him he put dents all down one side and kicked out a window… Her dad had to scrap the car. He was even more angry than the mule which was his! :D:D

I had to call my dad and ask him the particulars as I barely remember this event. Minutes ago he was dying laughing on the phone telling me the story. He hadn’t thought of it in years either.:D

The part I remember well was shooting with her. If she missed a shot she’d say “I may not be able to hit the broad side of a barn but I can hit the mule in it!” Which always got a laugh. :D:D
 
Are you trying to brag, 'cause I hit 2 deer in 3 days. :LOL: I can laugh now, but at the time, I was ready to quit driving all together. In all fairness, the second one I saw, slowed way down, and it jumped directly onto my car. We just sold that car this last spring. We called it the blue bullet because it killed more deer than most rifles. That was in Oregon by the way - not sure why it's not on the list. Can't even begin to tell how many deer I've hit over the years. I will say in a small car and rural mountain area, you are more likely to hit them than if in a pick-up or taller vehicle and closer to town.

I was just reminded of when I was driving and a deer and I had a bump. I was in Oregon, driving from Crater Lake to my cousin's place. It was dusk, and I had seen some weird animals while driving that road. And then, there it was. I had been driving slower than I would have during daytime. I was also driving a rental, and the damage was minimal, thankfully. Always good to know you have the right insurance to cover damage on a rental.
 
Just move the signs. ;)
DeerCrossing-558x1024.png
 
She wasn't a blonde and her initials are A O C.
 

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