Pa. reported an increase in deer-related wrecks last year. These counties had the most collisions.
State Farm says drivers in the Keystone State have a 1-in-54 chance of being involved in an animal-related crash, ranking fifth in the country.
Pennsylvania, where the risk of driver-animal collisions is high, saw a slight increase in deer-related crashes last year.
The state Department of Transportation reported 5,726 such crashes in 2021, compared to 5,586 in 2020. Insurance company State Farm says drivers in the Keystone State have a 1-in-54 chance of being involved in an animal-related crash, ranking fifth in the country.
West Virginia drivers have the highest risk, State Farm found.
In Pennsylvania, Allegheny County saw the most crashes last year with 321. Centre County ranked 27th in the state with 81 crashes. Statewide, there were 1,255 injuries and 13 deaths attributed to collisions with deer.
These are the 10 Pennsylvania counties that had the most deer-related crashes in 2021:
Allegheny: 321
Chester: 241
Westmoreland: 230
York: 205
Bucks: 197
Monroe: 195
Berks: 183
Butler: 183
Luzerne: 173
Montgomery: 166
Deer-related crashes are most likely in November, the insurance industry has said. October and December are the second and third most common months for animal-related crashes.
The animals become more active in autumn ahead of their breeding season, the Pennsylvania Game Commission has said. Deer are most active at dawn and dusk.
How to reduce risk of a deer-related crash
Travel company AAA offers several tips for drivers to limit their risk or a crash. They include:
Take note of road signs such as those that are yellow, diamond-shaped and picture a deer. Those indicate high levels of deer activity in the area.
Scan the road in front of the vehicle looking for signs of animals.
Use high beams when there’s no oncoming traffic, as the light reflecting of the deer’s eyes can reveal their location.
Slow down and keep an eye out for other deer, as they rarely travel alone.
Stay in your lane. Swerving can confuse the animal and leave them unsure which way to run, and it could lead the driver to crash into oncoming traffic.
If a crash is imminent, drivers should take their foot off the brake. “During hard braking, the front end of a vehicle is pulled downward which can cause the animal to travel up over the hood towards the windshield,” AAA says. Staying off the brake means the animal is more likely to be pushed to the side or over the top of the vehicle.
Wear a seat belt. The chances of being injured in a crash with an animal are higher if a driver is not wearing a seat belt.
What to know about crashes in Pennsylvania
Two types of crashes in Pennsylvania must be reported to police:
Those that result in injury or death
Those that result in a vehicle being too damaged to be driven away
Minor crashes that don’t result in injury can be reported to police, but there is no legal requirement. Drivers involved in any crash with another vehicle must exchange license and insurance information and provide aid if needed.