New data shows odds Michigan drivers will collide with a deer are declining

Michigan drivers are more than two percent less likely to collide with a deer in the next 12 months than they were last year, according to new claims data from State Farm. However, the odds that drivers will hit a deer in Michigan in the coming year are 1 out of 94—still above the national odds of 1 in 169.

Using its claims data and state licensed driver counts from the Federal Highway Administration, State Farm, the nation’s leading auto insurer, calculates the chances of any single American motorist striking a deer over the next 12 months state by state.

More 2014 State Farm deer collisions facts:

• Michigan is ranked 11th in the country for the most deer collisions
• The national cost per claim average is $3,888, up 13.9 percent from 2013 when the average was $3,414.
• The months a driver is most likely to collide with a deer in Michigan, mostly due to mating and hunting seasons, are:

1. November
2. October
3. December

• For the eighth year in a row, West Virginia tops the list of states where a collision is most likely with 1 in 39 odds. Hawaii rounds out the bottom of the list, also for the eighth year in a row, with 1 in 10,281 odds.

“Whether you live in Pennsylvania or Hawaii, it’s important that drivers are practicing safe driving habits and watching out for animals on the road. Wearing your seat belt and practicing defensive driving tactics could make a significant difference,” says State Farm Spokesperson Angie Rinock.

Avoid becoming a statistic

Injuries, vehicle damage and fatalities all can result from vehicle collisions with deer. In 2012, 175 deaths were the result of collisions with animals, with deer being the animal most often struck, according to the Insurance Information Institute and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. These tips could help drivers avoid a collision:

•  Use extra caution in known deer zones
•  Always wear your seatbelt
•  At night, when there is no oncoming traffic, use high beams
•  Avoid swerving when you see a deer
•  Scan the road for deer and other danger signs
•  Do not rely on devices such as deer whistles

And here are some deer facts that all drivers should know:

• Deer are on all roads
• Deer are unpredictable
• Deer often move in groups
• Deer movement is most prevalent in the fall
• Dusk and dawn are high risk times