Odds of Deer-Vehicle Collisions Are Highest Now

First posted on 10-15-2008

Arkansas is fifth on the list of states where a vehicle is most likely to have a collision with a deer, according to a study conducted annually by State Farm Insurance. That is up one since last year’s study.

According to State Farm prognosticators, drivers in Arkansas have a one in 108 chance of colliding with a deer in 2009, roughly equaling an individual’s chances of being audited by the IRS.

Missouri came in at 19th with a 1 in 157 chance and Oklahoma was 38th with a 1 in 426 chance. With a nearly negligible deer population, the odds of striking a deer is least likely in Hawaii where the odds are just 1 in 10,962 according to State Farm. West Virginia leads the nation in collisions with a 1 in 45 chance.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety said that approximately 1.5 million deer-vehicle collisions occur in the United States each year, with over 150 human fatalities and around $1.1 billion in property damage.

While these figures are annualized, they are generally much higher during the next few months, October through December, as deer move more because of migration patterns and the mating season.

Drivers need to be aware that deer are most likely to be moving early in the morning and early in the evening, just before and after dawn or dusk. For that reason, using high beams and driving lamps whenever possible can help spot deer before they enter the road.

This time of year, deer often travel together so the likelihood is high that if one is spotted, there may be more in the area.