Oh, deer!
In 2015, a total of 33 reported deer-related vehicle crashes occurred in McKean County, 25 in Elk County, 10 in Potter County and five in Cameron County, according to recently released information by The Center For Rural Pennsylvania.
The legislative agency defines a reported deer-related crash when a deer appears in the road, and the animal may or may not be hit, and an injury or fatality occurs or at least one of the vehicles involved requires towing from the scene. To compile the data, the center used the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation’s Crash Information Tool.
But the statistics come as no surprise for Pennsylvania Insurance Department Communications Director Ron Ruman, who said as the population goes down, such as in rural Pennsylvania, so would the number of reported deer-related accidents. But, he indicated, that is not to say that reported deer-related crashes aren’t a big issue per driver in McKean County, for example.
Across the four-county region, the number of reported deer-related crashes per 100 miles of road is listed as 3.24 in McKean County; Elk County, 3.20; Cameron County, 2.08; and 0.92, Potter County.
The Center For Rural Pennsylvania also compared the the number of reported deer-related crashes per 100 miles in rural and urban parts of the state over a 10-year period. For rural Pennsylvania, there were 2.61 reported deer-related crashes per 100 miles in 2005; 3.44, 2010; and 3.98, 2015. Meanwhile, urban areas of the state have seen 3.59 reported deer-related crashes per 100 miles in 2005, 4.54 in 2010 and 4.38 in 2015.
“We shared the statistics on reported deer-related crashes in Pennsylvania as part of our DataGram series, which focuses on sharing information on a variety of topics and issues relevant to rural and urban Pennsylvania,” The Center For Rural Pennsylvania Communications Manager Christine Caldara Piatos said.
In any case, for 2015-16, State Farm said there’s a one in 67 chance of getting into a reported deer-related crash in the Keystone State, a 4.5 percent increase. The state is ranked third in the country for deer-related accidents, State Farm reported.
“This time of year begins the deer rut season, so we thought this was timely information for [DataGram] to share, especially when considering the impact on life and property when an injury or fatality occurs,” Piatos said.
Dawn and dusk are prime times for reported deer-related accidents, which often occurs in October, November and December, Ruman said. Deer mate during those months, he said.
All things considered, State Farm encourages people to keep their eyes up and focus on the road; slow down, particularly at dusk and dawn; pay attention to deer crossing signs; always buckle up, every trip, every time; use high beams to see farther, except when there is oncoming traffic; avoid distractions, like using devices or eating, which might cause one to miss seeing an animal; brake if possible, but avoid swerving, which could result in a more severe crash; and do not rely on products such as deer whistles, which are not proven effective.
State Farm also said in a prepared statement that if drivers see one deer cross the road, be prepared for more to follow; if riding a motorcycle, drivers should always wear protective gear and keep a focus on the road ahead.
Ruman also said that under Pennsylvania law, drivers cannot be charged a surcharge for a deer-related accident, and for any animal-related crash falls under comprehensive coverage on a person’s automobile insurance.
“As additional background on the importance of this data, a September 2015 New York Times article said that 1.3 million insurance claims were filed in 2014 for deer-related crashes, and in that article, State Farm Insurance reported that the national cost per claim in 2014 was $4,100,” Piatos said.
