Oh deer! Beware the hazards of deer collisions

Deer collisions are dangerous and can sometimes be deadly.

The annual insured losses of deer-vehicle collisions in the United States are more than $1 billion. About 1.5 million deer-car accidents happen every year. West Virginia has the highest risk, where one in 37 drivers will have a deer collision. Missouri is next, with a risk of one in 47. Pennsylvania has a risk of one in 51.

According to State Farm, deer-car accidents cause about 175 to 200 fatalities and 10,000 injuries yearly.

Though the mating season from October to December brings the most crashes, deer are crossing the roads throughout the year, and as spring ramps up, beware of does traveling with their young.

Deer crossing signs seem a bit amusing, but drivers should believe them. Deer generally use the same routes each day to find water, food, and resting places. If you are driving when deer are most active — at dawn and dusk, especially from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. — keep an eye out. Remember that deer travel in groups. When you see one deer, several others could be coming behind it.

Some drivers avoid roads through forests and areas of heavy brush, where deer can appear suddenly.

Others drive at reduced speed to give them more time to stop and the deer more time to cross.

Using high-beam headlights allows the driver more time to spot a deer at night.

Brake — don’t swerve. Swerving to avoid a deer can cause a more serious crash, such as into an oncoming car in another lane or swerving off the roadway and into a tree or a utility pole. In addition, the animal might turn into your swerve, so you’ll still hit it but have less control of the vehicle.