To help avoid deer-vehicle collisions, the Kansas Insurance Department suggests the following:
• Stay alert, always wear your seat belt and drive at a safe, sensible speed for conditions.
• Watch for the reflection of deer eyes and for deer silhouettes on the shoulder of the road.
• Do not rely exclusively on devices such as deer whistles, deer fences and reflectors to deter deer.
• When driving at night, use high-beam headlights when there is no opposing traffic. The high beams will illuminate the eyes of deer on or near a roadway.
• Brake firmly when you notice a deer in or near your path, but stay in your lane. Many serious accidents occur when drivers swerve to avoid a deer and hit other vehicles or lose control of their cars. Potentially, you will risk less injury by hitting the deer.
• If you see one deer, it is likely there are more close by.
• If the deer stays on the road, stop on the shoulder, put on your hazard lights and wait for the deer to leave the roadway; do not try to go around the deer while it is on the road.
When an accident occurs, motorists should consider the following:
• If you do hit a deer and are uncertain whether the animal is dead, keep your distance. You might be dealing with an injured, wild animal with sharp hooves that can inflict serious bodily injury.
• If the deer is blocking the roadway and poses a danger to other motorists, you should immediately report the incident to the local law enforcement agency.
• If a driver hits a deer, they should slow down and pull onto the shoulder, turn on their emergency flashers, and watch for traffic if they have to exit their vehicle. If one has a cellular phone and are on a Kansas highway, dial *47 (*HP) for a highway patrol dispatcher or *582 (*KTA) for assistance on the Kansas Turnpike, or dial 911.
• Anyone involved in a vehicle-deer crash resulting in personal injury or property damage that totals $1,000 or more is required to immediately report the crash to the nearest law enforcement agency. Failure to report any traffic crash is a misdemeanor and may result in suspension of driving privileges. A salvage tag is required to remove a deer carcass from an accident site. Tags can be issued by KHP troopers, sheriff’s deputies, or KDWPT natural resource officers.
Ghosts and goblins aren’t the only things motorists should fear on Halloween and through the winter months. Deer distracted by the annual mating season known as the rut can be a real horror.
Although deer population numbers might be down nationwide, there’s still a need to be vigilant while driving this fall, said state officials.
According to Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism biologist Lloyd Fox, the increase in deer-vehicle crashes is strongly influenced by the deer mating season, called “rut.” During rut, deer focus on mating; they travel more than in other seasons, and pay less attention to hazards such as vehicles. Also during the fall, many deer move to new locations as crops are harvested and leaves fall from trees and shrubs, so they are less secure than in their summer habitats.
Not only are deer more active during the fall, shorter days mean dusk and dawn — when deer are more likely to be on the move — occur when commuter traffic is highest.
Kansas Department of Transportation spokesperson Steve Swartz said 15 percent, or 8,695, of all traffic crashes in 2012, involved deer. Two people were killed and 322 were injured in these crashes.
Deer-vehicle collisions occur in every Kansas county, and have averaged around 9,000 annually since 2003. In most cases, counties with high human populations and high traffic volumes record the most deer-vehicle crashes. Johnson County recorded the most crashes with 304, followed by Sedgwick County with 293, and Reno County with 237.
There were 180 such wrecks in Barton County in 2012, the KHP noted. Barton tied for fourth place for the most deer accidents with Crawford County.
A report from State Farm Insurance, using Federal Highway Administration data, said deer numbers have dropped 3.5 percent overall in the United States from the year before, but the average claims cost for vehicle-deer accidents has increased.
The average property damage from a deer-vehicle collision is estimated at $3,414, a 3.3 percent increase from a year earlier, the State Farm study noted. The top five states where a driver is most likely to hit a deer are West Virginia, Montana, Iowa, South Dakota and Pennsylvania.
There are roughly 1.6 million crashes caused by deer annually. These collisions make up over $3.6 billion in vehicle damage per year.
“The reality of driving on Kansas roads and highways this time of year is the possible encounter with a deer,” said Kansas Insurance Commissioner Sandy Praeger. “And that encounter could result in costly vehicle repairs.”
Mid-fall and mid-spring are likely times of the year for deer to be seen on Kansas roadways, because of breeding habits during the fall and growth of vegetation during the spring. Sunrise and sunset are the times that deer are most active.
Praeger urged Kansas motorists to check with their insurance agents to find out the type of vehicle accident damage coverage their policies have. Then, if a deer accident occurs, a policyholder should contact his or her insurance agent or company quickly to begin the claims process.
“Defensive driving is always important, but this time of year it’s extremely important,” Praeger said. “Do everything you can to protect yourself and your family while driving.”
