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Game Commission Gives Tips To Avoid Deer Accidents

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Oct 31, 2008 6:40 pm US/Eastern

Game Commission Gives Tips To Avoid Deer Accidents

Reporting
Trina Orlando
GREENSBURG (KDKA) ― You can tell it's fall in Westmoreland County by the number of deer seen on the side of the road.

For every deer you see, there's most likely a car in the shop.

According to state farm insurance, deer-related accidents nationwide are up almost 15 percent from five years ago.

Both insurance companies and car shops say this is their busiest time of the year for deer collisions. They say the number of cases they see begins to rise in October and peaks in mid-November.

Many people turn to car-mounted deer whistles, but many question whether they actually work.

"They work until you hit a deer," said Dave Kolk, a State Farm Insurance agent in Greensburg.

Patsy Mignogna, owner of Mignogna's Collision in Greensburg, agrees. "I'd say 40 percent of the cars we see in deer related accidents have those whistles," he said.

Game commission officer Seth Mesoras says he doesn't really have proof one way or the other, but says you should never rely on a whistle.

He says you should follow these Game Commission guidelines:

- Use your high beams and watch for the reflection of deer eyes
- Slow down in areas known to have a high deer population
- Stop and wait for a deer to move out of the road - don't go around it

Pennsylvania ranks 3rd in the nation in deer-related accidents, according to research by the Federal Highway Administration.

In Pennsylvania you have a one in 97 chance of hitting a deer. In Hawaii - it jumps to one in 10,962.

(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

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