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Pa. Sees Drop In Deer-Related Accidents

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Oct 8, 2008 6:54 pm US/Eastern

Pa. Sees Drop In Deer-Related Accidents

Reporting
Jim Lokay
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) ― As deer begin their yearly re-emergence from the woods onto local roads, insurance agents are usually the first to know.

"We actually got a few calls recently and we even have a few people who have had multiple crashes with deer," said Jennifer Johnson-Nazareth of State Farm Insurance.

The hilly terrain of western Pennsylvania, along with windy local roads, puts drivers at great risk of hitting deer.

"The coverage and the turns and the hills certainly creates the coverage for the deer and all of a sudden, they're on us." Johnson-Nazareth says many reports come from roads near her office along Mount Nebo Road in Ohio Township.

For years, Pennsylvania topped State Farm's annual survey as the state where drivers were most likely to strike a deer. Over the past five years, though, Pennsylvania has seen an 8 percent drop in deer-car crashes, pushing West Virginia to the top of the list.

According to the report, issued today, one out of every 45 crashes on West Virginia roads involves a deer. Pennsylvania sees a deer-car crash in every 97 incidents.

"You have a better chance of winning the state lottery," explained Johnson-Nazareth.

Neighboring states like Ohio and Maryland boast flatter terrain and fewer places for deer to hide, so the average for both states sits at about one out of every 158 accidents.

As for specific roads, PennDOT does not track every deer-car crash in Allegheny County, but dispatchers at the operations center in Collier Township say the most calls to pick up deer carcasses come from the southwest corner of Allegheny County, namely along Route 60, Route 30, and Interstate 79. Crews also are dispatched frequently to a stretch of Route 28 between the Highland Park Bridge and the county line.

With the average car repair bill following an accident at about $2,900, Johnson-Nazareth says drivers should remember that insurance companies cover those incidents under comprehensive policies. However, swerving to avoid a deer, but striking something else typically falls under collision coverage.



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