If you think grizzly bears or snakes are the most dangerous animals that cause the most deaths in the U.S., think again. You may be surprised to hear this, but deer cause more fatalities than any other animals in our country.
Although deer are thought to be harmless, they kill more Americans than you can imagine. And no, these deaths are not caused by wild deer attacks. Almost all of them are caused by deer-car accidents.
You didn’t see this coming, did you? Statistics show that there are more than one million deer-related motor vehicle accidents each year. “And while the vast majority of these accidents are minor and result in vehicle damage, drivers and passengers can get injured as a result of a collision with a deer,” explains our Pittsburgh deer car accident attorney at Shenderovich, Shenderovich & Fishman.
Car accidents involving deer cause about 10,000 severe injuries and 200 fatalities each year, while vehicle damage totals more than $1 billion.
Deer-car crashes in Pennsylvania
Statistics show, that the problem of vehicles colliding with deer is very prominent in Pennsylvania, which, according to State Farm Insurance statistics, has the second highest number of deer-car accidents in the U.S., surpassed only by West Virginia. The risk of hitting a deer is at its highest in the fall when deer are mating.
After a deer-car accident, one of the first questions that the driver will have is whether this accident is covered by his or her insurance coverage. Our experienced deer car accident attorney in Pittsburgh explains that many insurance policies do not provide coverage in the event of deer accidents.
However, it is important to check your insurance policy and see if there’s coverage to provide financial compensation for your injuries and property damage in a motor vehicle accident caused by deer.
Causes of deer-related car accidents
A deer-related car accident does not necessarily have to be a single-car accident. In fact, there are many deer-related crashes that involve multiple vehicles and are caused by the negligence of one of the motorists. For example, there is a large percentage of deer-car crashes that occur after one of the drivers swerves to avoid colliding with a deer, and, as a result, crashes into another vehicle.
Another common scenario is when a driver is following another vehicle too closely, and, when the driver of the leading vehicle hits the brakes to avoid a collision with a deer that ran onto the road, the second driver does not have enough time to react and slow down.
Tips to prevent deer-car accidents
Although not all deer-car collisions can be prevented no matter how careful you are when operating a vehicle, there are some tips to minimize the risk of getting into a deer-related car crash:
Pay attention to deer crossing signs and slow down when you see one
Do not get distracted behind the wheel, because you may miss a deer
Turn on your high beams when driving at night (deer can be very hard to see at night)
If you notice a deer, reduce speed and turn on your hazard lights
Instead of swerving, stop your vehicle
Wait for the deer to get off the road, but do not honk at the deer, as this might only startle the deer
If there is one deer, there could be more of them and
Do not forget to wear a seatbelt, as this can potentially save your life when colliding with a deer
If it is too late to follow any of these tips and you have already been injured in a deer-related car accident, contact our skilled personal injury lawyers at Shenderovich, Shenderovich & Fishman. Call our offices at 888-988-9467 to discuss your case and help you seek compensation for your injury or vehicle damage in a deer-car accident.
