CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Despite a lower rate of deer/car collisions across the United States, West Virginia remains the most likely state in which a motorist will hit a deer while driving.
“There’s been a decline of about 4.3 percent,” said Dave Phillips, spokesman for State Farm Insurance. “West Virginia though is still number one. The average nationally is about one in 174 to hit a deer, but in West Virginia it’s one in 41.”
West Virginia with its miles of rural roadway has held the dubious distinction in State Farm’s annual survey for seven straight years.
“Even though West Virginia remains number one, that’s an 8.3 percent reduction from the previous year,” Phillips said. “The crashes are down, but there’s still an issue that those deer are out there.”
The average deer/car collision costs 3,000 dollars in repairs.
Montana is the second most likely state to hit a deer where the chances are one in 65. Iowa is third with a one in 73 chance. Rounding out the top five of state’s where you’re most likely to hit a deer are South Dakota at one in 75 and Pennsylvania at one in 77.
State Farm’s data suggests November is the most likely time to hit a deer on the highway. November is the peak of hunting and rutting season for whitetail deer and makes the more vulnerable to a human interaction.
“The thing is to just be alert we’re headed into that season of the year,” Phillips suggested.