Drivers are more likely to hit deer this time of year: When, where it's most likely to happen

Deer related car crashes are a safety hazard drivers face all year long, but fall is an especially busy time of year. The number of animal strike-related insurance claims in November is more than twice the yearly average, according to a Highway Loss Data Institute,. This peak coincides with deer mating and migrating season, when deer are the most active.  

The greatest risk for deer-vehicle collisions emerges between October and December, mostly occurring in the two hours before sunrise and after sunset each day, according to the New York Department of Transportation.

While the data does not include information about the type of animal involved in these crashes, both the timing of the spike and the greater damage suggest that most of these collisions involve deer, rather than smaller animals. 

Day light saving time coincides with deer-car crashes 

Day light saving time, which occurs on the first Sunday in November, likely contributes to the spike in deer crashes around this time of year. That's because setting the clock back by an hour realigns rush hour with dusk, when deer are particularly active. 

The also change occurs in the middle of breeding season for white-tailed deer. 

Where are animal collisions most likely? 

The average U.S. driver’s odds of hitting an animal is 1 in 127 in 2023, but in West Virginia the odds a driver hitting an animal is 1 in 38, according to data collected by State Farm.

Montana (1 in 53 chance of a crash), Pennsylvania (1 in 59 chance), Michigan (1 in 60 chance of a crash) and Wisconsin (1 in 60) all follow West Virginia, with the highest likelihood of an animal collision on the road.

In Georgia, the state department of natural resources found that deer activity in areas like Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Henry and Paulding counties peaked between Nov. 3 and 9. Other counties in Georgia, including Cherokee, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett and Hall, are expected to see peak activity between Nov. 10 and Nov. 16.

How often do animal related car crashes happen?

According to data collected by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the rate of animal-strike-related insurance claims in November of last year was 11.9 claims per 1,000 insured vehicle years. That is a drop from 2019 when there were 14.1 animal strike claims per 1,000 insured vehicle years.

What to do if you hit a deer:It maybe unavoidable this time of year. Here's what to know.

Collisions with deer spike in November:Here's why