How to Avoid Hitting a Deer with Your Car

Deer have the potential to cause major damage to your vehicle on country roads as well as major interstates.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, deer-car collisions cost approximately $1 billion per year. According to Darrell Camilletti, owner of Mountain West Insurance & Financial Services, which has offices in Colorado and Arizona, some deer-collision insurance claims can exceed $10,000.

Optional comprehensive auto insurance coverage protects you financially in the event of a deer-car collision.

While auto insurance can help with the financial consequences of a deer-car collision, it can't take away the shock of a bumper-to-deer encounter. Here are the accounts of four drivers who were irritated by Bambi.

The late-night accident

Jon Page, 30, works as a copywriter for a medical communications firm.

Where: Raleigh, N.C.

How it happened: Page was driving his 1995 Mazda 626 on a four-lane road about 2 a.m. "I saw something streaking across the road just around the corner. Before I could realize what it was, I swerved slightly to the left and braked. It just slammed off the hood of my car before I knew it." Page, who was a student at North Carolina State University at the time of the accident in 2002, drove for a mile before stopping to call the police. "The car was still running, but I hadn't gotten out yet to assess the extent of the damage. It was pretty clear when I got out."

The damage: The greatest damage was to the hood and fender. "It looked like the hood was made of tin foil and someone just pushed it into the headlight," he explained. The headlight was shattered and dangling from the wires. The passenger-side wheel well was also harmed.

The coverage: After he paid the $100 deductible, his insurer, Nationwide, paid for the repairs.

Final thought: "If I hadn't swerved just a little bit, I wonder if I would have hit the deer head on and it would have come through the windshield. Obviously, the damage could have been much worse."

The daytime collision

Ouida Bradford, 40, is the campus director of Columbus State University's Chi Alpha Christian Ministries.

Where: Commerce, Ga.

How it happened: One afternoon in December 2006, Bradford was heading to Atlanta on a four-lane road. She saw a doe and fawn running across a pasture after passing through some farmland. "It was the strangest thing because I didn't even see them, and then they were running along the fence line, jumping the fence, and jumping in front of me." The young deer brushed up against her fender.

The damage: The 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo was still running. She drove it to ensure there were no alignment issues before continuing on to her conference in Atlanta. The grill and headlights were replaced, and the hood was repainted.

The coverage: The same day, she called her insurer, State Farm, and was given the name of a local body shop.

Final thought: “It was pretty hassle-free. Auto insurance is a relatively inexpensive way to ensure that you are covered in the event of an accident."

The totaled car

Elizabeth Quillen, 23, is a 23-year-old English teacher in Beijing, China.

Where: Athens, Ga.

How it happened: Quillen, a University of Georgia student, was driving with three passengers in her 1992 Toyota Camry around 7:30 p.m. in October 2010. "About a half-mile before hitting the deer, I exited a parking lot on the left. He jumped from the left side of the road, collided with the hood, landed on the bumper, and it felt like I ran over him."

The damage: After she stopped, she discovered blood and hair caught in the bent metal and broken lights. She contacted her insurer, USAA, who provided her with the number of an auto shop and paid for the car to be towed there. The hood, headlights, and bumper were all damaged.

The coverage: The car was totaled because the repairs would cost around $2,000, which was more than the car's value. Quillen and her parents decided to pay for the repairs themselves after speaking with the auto shop. "They said the car was in very good condition with the exception of the hood being bent up and unsafe."

Final thought: "I didn't know this until after the accident, but the best thing to do when facing a collision is to not swerve," concludes the author.

The non-collision: Running over a deer

Richard Rodd, 58, is a financial advisor.

Where: Wolcott, Colo.

How it happened: Rodd was driving his 2009 Honda Civic Hybrid from Denver to Grand Junction, Colo., on Interstate 70 around 6 p.m. in December 2010 when he noticed a four-wheel-drive vehicle in front of him straddling the remains of a deer. "It's not like a deer charged at me. The deer had been run over several times before I did. "It was a shambles," Rodd says. "Here I am at 65, 70 miles per hour, five cars length behind him, both lanes full. I couldn't turn to the right. My little Honda just rolled right over it."

The damage: The car's heat went out, alerting him that the engine was failing. "I put it in neutral, and the next exit was several hundred yards down the road. I kind of coasted on it, not attempting to stop the car. "I got off the interstate as soon as possible." Aside from the broken radiator, the front bumper was cracked and engine parts were marred, totaling approximately $3,500 in repairs.

The coverage: Rodd’s insurer, Nationwide, covered the repairs; his coverage included a car rental.

Final thought: “I wanted the body shop people to be able to bring (the car) to me, if there was anything questionable. 'I want that replaced, I want that replaced,' I said, and they did. The (insurer) handled it flawlessly."

The 411 on deer collisions

Deer collisions are most common during the months of October, November, and December, when deer are mating and migrating, and they don't just happen late at night in rural areas.

According to State Farm, an estimated 1.09 million collisions between deer and vehicles occurred in the United States between July 1, 2010 and June 30, 2011. Deer collisions fell for the third year in a row, but property damage is on the rise, with claims averaging $3,171, up 2% from the previous year.

According to State Farm, the most likely state for a motorist to hit a deer is West Virginia, followed by Iowa, South Dakota, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Montana, Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, and Wyoming. It is critical to obtain multiple free auto insurance quotes that include coverage for the costs of this type of collision.

Although deer-car collisions are more common at dawn and dusk, they can happen at any time. They can occur in cities as well. Researchers at the University of California, Davis, for example, are tracking and capturing deer in an effort to reduce the number of deer killed on Interstate 280 near San Francisco.

How to avoid a deer collision

Here are five tips from State Farm and the Wisconsin Office of the Commissioner of Insurance on avoiding a deer collision:

  1. Use your high-beam lights as much as possible at night.
  2. Keep an eye out for deer crossing signs, which are commonly found in deer-infested areas.
  3. Slow down and blow your horn if you see a deer on the road; another option is to flash your headlights.
  4. Don't swerve, as this could result in you losing control of your vehicle. Instead, apply a firm brake.
  5. If you hit a deer, do not get out of your car. Get off the road and call the cops.