There are many places in Pennsylvania where drivers may see deer. With acres of wooded areas and forests, it is even more likely that a deer may wander onto roads, in the path of oncoming vehicles. In these instances, deer can cause car accidents and cause considerable damage to cars as well as severe injuries to those in the vehicle.
But as the fall months are upon Pennsylvania residents, the risk of hitting a deer is greater, according to a recent study. While the overall statistics show that accidents caused by deer have decreased this year, deer migration and mating season peaks during the fall months.
The national study looked at how often deer-vehicle crashes occurred this past year. The data shows that, while the overall number has been decreasing yearly, more than 1 million deer-related crashes still occurred from 2010 to 2011 across the country.
In most states, including Pennsylvania, these types of crashes have decreased in number. In fact, Pennsylvania had been second on the list of states where deer-related crashes were more likely to occur. But currently, it has dropped to fourth.
Even with the decline, Pennsylvania drivers are still at risk of colliding with a deer, especially in October and November. Statistically, one in every 86 Pennsylvania drivers will get into a deer-related crash. The odds are even more frightening nationally: every five seconds, someone will collide with a deer.
These types of accidents, as mentioned earlier, can cause a lot of property damage as well as personal injury. It is estimated that the average cost of a deer-vehicle collision in 2011 so far was slightly over $3,000. Pennsylvania residents may find themselves with bills for car repairs after a deer-vehicle crash. In some instances, they may also have growing medical expenses if they sustained any injuries.
Source: Wood TV: “Deer-vehicle crash frequency declines,” Oct. 3, 2011