New Jersey drivers beware!  A new analysis by State Farm reveals that New Jersey drivers are nearly 4 percent more likely to collide with a deer in the next 12 months than they were in 2013. 

Deer
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The research also shows that one in 225 drivers are likely to hit a deer in the next 12 months.  Nationally, the odds are only one in 169.

Nationally, New Jersey ranks 33rd in the country for the most deer collisions.  West Virginia ranks at the top where a collision is most likely with one in 39 odds.  Hawaii, ranks last, with one in 10,281 odds.

November, October and December, according to State Farm's data, are the three months of the year in New Jersey when drivers in the state are most likely to hit a deer, with factors such as deer mating and deer hunting playing a role in the increase.

The price tag for deer collisions don't come cheap.  Damage claims average $3,888, up almost 14 percent from in 2013.

State Farm recommends that drivers do the following to lessen their chances of hitting a deer:

  • Use extra caution in areas that are known to contain deer.
  • Always make sure you wear a seat belt.
  • If you are driving on a dark road at night with no oncoming traffic, use your high beam lights.
  • Avoid swerving when you spot a deer, especially if other vehicles are close.
  • Scan the road for deer and other hazards, especially the shoulder and nearby wooded areas.
  • Do not rely on devices such as deer whistles.
  • Always appreciate the unpredictability of deer.

In 2012, 175 people were killed in the U.S. from accidents involving animals, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and the Insurance Information Institute.

 

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