Severe Car Damage and Deer

Over a million vertebrate animals are killed every day on American highways, according to the High Country News. Of all the large animals involved in a damaging automobile collision, deer seem to be the most common.

Facts

• Deer account for more human deaths than any other animal, according to statistics compiled by the Kentucky State Police. Every year 1.6 million deer/automobile collisions occur in the U.S. These result in more than 150 deaths and an estimated $3.6 million in automobile damage. Medical payments and expenses account for another billion dollars in expenditures. The average cost of a motor vehicle run-in with a deer is $3,000.

Frequency

• Studies done by the Kentucky State Police indicate that there is a definite pattern to automobile accidents involving deer. These studies suggest a daily cycle and an annual peak period for such collisions. Over the course of a year the months of October, November and December produce the most accidents. The peak, daily hours for a deer collision are from 5 p.m to 8 p.m. and 5 a.m. to 8 a.m.

Prevention

• Limited success has been achieved in providing crossing areas and wildlife corridors for deer. These corridors allow wildlife to progress around outdoor areas without presenting a problem for motorists. The most promising idea seems to be the construction of deer underpasses placed along heavily-used wildlife migration routes.