Oct 15, 2019

It's that time of year: watch out for deer

Posted Oct 15, 2019 11:00 AM

Photo courtesy of State Farm Insurance


By BRENT MARTIN


St. Joseph Post


It is the time of year when motorists need to be on the lookout for deer, because this is the peak time for deer collisions.


“October to December is kind of peak season with November being the worst month,” St. Joseph State Farm Agent Philip Stueve tells St. Joseph Post.


Three main reasons make this prime time for car-deer collisions. It is mating season for deer and they are on the move. Deer hunting season is approaching and even when hunters venture out to the woods to scout the best spot, it makes deer nervous and they begin to move. Also, the days are getting shorter and less daylight means less visibility for drivers.


Stueve says the best way to avoid hitting a deer is to drive without distractions.


“We see a lot of distracted drivers anymore whether it’s a radio or a text message from a family member, but when they see these deer when they’re driving on a rural roads or on the highways use your brights when at all possible and I think it’s really important to remember not to swerve to miss an animal,” Stueve says.


Stueve says swerving to avoid hitting a deer creates a big risk for a much more serious accident.


“It happens so suddenly that a lot of times people don’t have the time to look over their shoulder,” Stueve says. “That deer is on them before they even know it. There could be a car in their blind spot. They could overcorrect. It’s safer just to apply the brakes and do the best you can to slow to miss it.”


State Farm estimates there were 1.5 million deer collisions on U.S. highways over the past year.


Stueve says Missouri ranks 15th among the states in car-deer collisions.


“If you boil that down statistically per household, that’s one in 79 of us will hit a deer this season,” according to Stueve.


Kansas comes in 18th, with a one in 84 chance of hitting a deer. Nebraska comes in 22nd with Iowa at 5th.


Stueve advises drivers to use their high-beams when they can on wooded, rural roads. If you see a deer, flash your high-beams at the animal, which can scare them off the road.

If you hit a deer, try to get your vehicle off the road to avoid a second accident. Call police. Don’t approach a wounded animal. Instead, alert the Missouri Department of Conservation. Then, give your insurance agent a call.


Simply put, it is not uncommon for a driver to hit a deer.


“No. It is very, very common,” Stueve says. “We deal with these claims every day.”


Damage caused by a collision with a deer/Photo courtesy of State Farm