Drivers Beware; Odds Of Hitting Deer Go Up

U.S. drivers are nearly 3 percent more likely to collide with a deer in the next 12 months than they were last year, according to new claims data from State Farm.

The odds drivers will hit a deer in the coming year are 1 out of 169, but that likelihood more than doubles during October, November and December, when deer collisions are most prevalent.

For the eighth year in a row, West Virginia tops the list of states where a collision is most likely. The odds a driver in the Mountain State will collide with a deer are a staggering 1 in 39, nearly a 5 percent increase compared to 2013.

Hawaii rounds out the bottom of the list also for the eighth year in a row with odds of 1 in 10,281.

Hawaiians are three times more likely to get struck by lightning in their lifetime than they are to hit a deer in the next year.

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

Whether you live in West Virginia 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.