Deer in the headlights? Road safety tips as mating season poses dangers for drivers

Watch out − it's the time of year when deer can get caught in your headlights.

Deer movement dramatically increases during deer season, which typically lasts from October through December. Numerous deer stray onto suburban roads and interstates, which leads to more deer-car collisions during this time of year than any other.

According to the Highway Loss Data Institute, the number of animal-strike-related insurance claims in November is more than twice the yearly average. This peak coincides with mating season, when deer are the most active.

States where you're most likely to hit an animal

According to State Farm data, West Virginia drivers continued to hold the top rank with the worst odds of an animal collision, coming in at 1 in 38. The rest of the top five: Wisconsin (1 in 60), Michigan (1 in 60), Pennsylvania (1 in 59) and Montana (1 in 53). If you live in Nevada, your odds of hitting an animal are the lowest at 1 in 770.

From July 2022 to June 2023, drivers filed an estimated 1.8 million animal collision insurance claims, a decrease from 1.9 million during the same period the previous year, according to State Farm. Pennsylvania had the largest estimated number of claims with 153,397, and West Virginian drivers had the highest risk of striking an animal.

In 2021, there were 164 fatalities from collisions with animals, most of them from October through December, according to the Insurance Information Institute. Deer are the most frequent animal to be struck by cars.

Deer are the most active at dawn and dusk

Deer are typically spotted along roadways in the early morning and late evening, when most people are traveling to and from work – the same time deer are at their most active, according to the National Deer Association.

Why do deer freeze in headlights?

Deer are crepuscular creatures, which means they're most active after the sun goes down and in the early morning. A deer's eyes are adapted to low-light conditions, which allows them to see better in the dark.

Deer are considered legally blind. The University of Georgia conducted studies indicating that whitetail deer can see 20/200, which means they see something 20 feet away as if it were 200 feet away. But they do have amazing hearing, smell and sense of perception. Because of this, they are able to do well in the wild despite having poor vision.

How to avoid hitting a deer

• Be alert near wooded areas. Deer could be hidden by trees.
• Slow down. If you see one deer, there are typically more close by.
• Watch for glowing eyes. When a deer's eyes are hit by headlights, they glow in the dark. Assume what you're seeing is a deer and slow down.

How to minimize the impact if a car-deer strike is unavoidable

If you can't avoid hitting a deer, apply your brakes hard instead of swerving. Remain in your lane and grip the steering wheel. Then, carefully bring your car to a stop.

What to do if you hit a deer

Here's what AAA suggests doing immediately after hitting a deer with your car:

• Moving off the road keeps other drivers and you safe. Turn your hazard lights on and move out of traffic. If your vehicle is inoperable, try your best to get it in a safe spot.
• Reporting the accident can help on many fronts, but especially if the injured deer is still in the roadway.
• Check for damage. If you're going to make a claim, you may want to snap a few pictures of the vehicle damage. It will help you and your insurance provider when processing the claim.
• Give your car a thorough assessment and check any damage before driving off.

Contributing: Sara Chernikoff and Gabe Hauari, Paste BN

SOURCE Insurance Institute for Highway Safety; Insurance Information Institute; National Deer Association; The Courier-Journal; Paste BN research