Deer-vehicle crashes are up more than 40 percent in Nebraska over the past five years, according to State Farm Insurance claims data. Nationally that number has risen about 15 percent.
State Farm estimates that the chances of a Nebraska vehicle hitting a deer over the next 12 months is about one in 155. West Virginia is the most likely place in the country to hit a deer. Chances there are estimated to be one in 45. Iowa ranks fourth. Nebraska is 18th on the list, two spots higher than last year.
Last year a collision with a deer totaled Todd Riffel's Suburban near his Springfield home.
"It hit the front quarter panel and then bashed in the driver's side door and rolled around and hit the rear quarter panel and pretty much tore up the whole side of the vehicle. We were coming down Buffalo Road and the deer just came out of the ditch out of nowhere."
Brian Good lives in Cedar Creek and works in Springfield and has also seen deer up close and personal. "I've had 'em run right into my front quarter panel and bounce right off and run off."
Bill Mulherin with the Nebraska chapter of the National Safety Council says a little caution can go a long way to help avoid a crash. "You'll see their eyes reflecting off your headlights. At that point you need to be slowing down and slowing down pretty assertively. Lowering your speed is always going to be one of the best protective measures you can take."
Swerving can make the situation worse. "You don't want to swerve to avoid any type of animal or wildlife on the road, simply because if you swerve you're at a much greater likelihood to lose control of your vehicle and wind up in the ditch."
According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, there are approximately 1.5 million deer-vehicle collisions every year in the United States, causing more than 150 fatalities and $1.1 billion in property damage.
October, November and December are the most active months for deer and the most common time for vehicle-deer collisions. Here are some safety tips to help you lessen your chances of hitting a deer:
Be aware of posted deer crossing signs. These are placed in active deer crossing areas.
Remember that deer are most active between 6 and 9 p.m.
Use high beam headlamps as much as possible at night to illuminate the areas from which deer will enter roadways.
Do not rely on car-mounted deer whistles.
If a deer collision seems inevitable, attempting to swerve out of the way could cause you to lose control of your vehicle or place you in the path of an oncoming vehicle.
Save
Email
Print
19 comments
