By Staff
Haven't hit a deer with your vehicle? Apparently you are very lucky. Being in the Michiana area your chances are definitely high.
Michigan is second on the list of states where deer-vehicle collisions are most frequent. The likelihood of a specific vehicle striking a deer next year is 1 in 86, according to State Farm Insurance claims data.
And our neighbor, Indiana, ranks 12th. Driving in Indiana, you have a one in 135 chance of an encounter between your vehicle and a deer.
Nearby Wisconsin is third on the list which is topped by West Virginia. Pennsylvania and Iowa make up the top five.
According to State Farm's data, deer-vehicle collisions in the United States has increased 6.3 percent over a year ago. The average property damage cost of these incidents was just under $2,900, up 3 percent from a year ago.
Not only costly, trying to avoid a deer can sometimes be fatal to the driver.
The months of October, November and December have the highest incidence of deer/vehicle crashes.
Here are tips from State Farm on how to reduce the chances of a deer-vehicle collision:
Be aware of posted deer crossing signs. These are placed in active deer crossing areas.
Remember that deer are most active between 6 and 9 p.m.
Use high beam headlamps as much as possible at night to illuminate the areas from which deer will enter roadways.
Keep in mind that deer generally travel in herds – if you see one, there is a strong possibility others are nearby.
Do not rely on car-mounted deer whistles. They don't work.
If a deer collision seems inevitable, attempting to swerve out of the way could cause you to lose control of your vehicle or place you in the path of an oncoming vehicle.