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While everyone needs to be careful this time of the year and look to avoid collisions with animals -- especially deer -- the reality is that the odds are against you if you are driving anywhere in the Tri-State Area.
The odds of a West Virginia resident having an insurance claim because of a deer or animal collision are 1 in 35. In Pennsylvania, that number is 1 in 57 and in Ohio it is 1 in 94. The Mountain State once again leads the country in the odds of a deer or animal crash, according to the annual report compiled by State Farm insurance. Pennsylvania comes in sixth and Ohio is 22nd.
October, November and December are the worst months for deer crashes because that period is the mating season. Overall, drivers in the U.S. have a 1 in 109 chance of colliding with an animal. For the period running from July 1, 2021, through June 30, there were more than 1.9 million animal collision insurance claims --with 1.3 million of those claims involving deer.
Officials with Ohio State Highway Patrol reported that since 2017, there have been 101,912 deer-related crashes in the state. Of those accidents, 29 resulted in fatal injuries with 31 people killed. The patrol added 47 percent of those crashes happened in October, November and December.
During that period, the patrol said there were 939 deer-involved crashes in Columbiana County, 603 in Belmont County, 341 in Jefferson County, 169 in Harrison County and 143 in Carroll County.
And, the Pennsylvania State Police reported that in 2021, there were 5,726 deer-related crashes that resulted in 1,255 injuries and 13 fatalities across the Keystone State.
Drivers need to be alert for deer, especially at dawn and after sunset, the highest risk times for deer-vehicle collisions. Here are just a few tips provided by several agencies and organizations, including AAA East Central, which covers the Tri-State Area:
≤ Scan the road ahead: That will help to provide reaction time if an animal is spotted. Remember deer move in groups and seeing one deer most likely means there are others nearby.
≤ When driving at night, use high-beam headlights when there is no oncoming traffic. High beams will better illuminate the eyes of deer standing on or near the roadway.
≤ If you do see a deer on or near the road, slow down and blow your horn to try to scare the deer away.
≤ If you can't avoid a collision, apply your brakes firmly and stay in your lane --swerving to avoid an animal can lead to a more serious crash or cause the driver to lose control of the vehicle. It is actually better to hit the deer while maintaining full control of the vehicle than to swerve out of the way. The Ohio State Highway Patrol notes more people are injured in wrecks because the driver tried to avoid the deer and ended up hitting another vehicle or going off the road into a ditch or a tree.
≤ If you are involved in a deer crash, pull off to the side of the road, activate the vehicle's hazard lights and call law enforcement. Don't approach the deer if it is still in the road.
≤ And, of course, always wear a seatbelt and remain awake, alert and sober.
It's inevitable there will be accidents involving deer and vehicles. But by concentrating on the task at hand when driving, you can help to cut that risk down.