Hit a deer as thousands in KY did in 2020 and tech could make repair bills larger.
‘Tis the season to look out for and avoid hormone-driven deer on Kentucky roads. Hitting one can generate significantly larger repair bills for technology-laden automobiles.
With newer technology — including sensors and cameras — installed in vehicle bumpers, windows, mirrors and elsewhere, the cost for claims related to deer collisions is rising, according to AAA.
In 2020, the average claim for deer strikes was more than $4,500. Previous AAA research showed repairs to vehicles with advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) can cost double the amount of repairs to a vehicle without the enhancements. Insurance helps but those bills also could escalate after a wreck.
“Deer can be unpredictable, so even the best drivers are at risk,” said Angela Hoskins, territory insurance manager, retail sales, KY/WV/VA, AAA Club Alliance. “Deer collisions can put a serious dent in your wallet if you don’t have a comprehensive insurance policy with adequate coverage.”
The closing months of the calendar year are when deer are most active due to their mating season.
According to the Kentucky State Police’s 2020 Traffic Collision Report, there were nearly 3,000 collisions with deer last year alone. Three of those collisions were fatal, while 11 more resulted in a serious injury.
Kentucky ranked 21 out of 50 states in fatalities due to car accidents with deer from 2010-2019. according to AAA. Almost 2,000 people nationwide were killed from deer strikes during that span, including 39 in Kentucky.
“Certainly this time of the year when the deer are more in the mood than ever, we need to be aware that that’s a possibility out there and to drive accordingly,” said Lori Weaver Hawkins, manager of public & government affairs for AAA. “You can’t avoid every collision with a deer or an animal, but I think that if you’re aware of the issue, there can be prevention of some of those types of occurrences.”
Hawkins said the most likely time to hit a deer is between 5-8 a.m. and 5-8 p.m., although it can happen at any point in the day. Crashes can happen in urban areas like Lexington and Louisville.
“A lot of times, you’ll see it in neighborhoods where they have kind of the larger parks, especially if the parks are wooded,” Hawkins said. “Veterans Park, there’s quite a few deer you’ll see running, but I’ve even seen them coming down the street in Hartland.”
To avoid deer strikes, Hawkins and AAA provided tips, such as sweeping your vision back and forth on the road, eliminating distractions and using high beams when appropriate. Hawkins said if you do see a deer in the road, don’t swerve into the opposing lane to avoid it, as that can lead to additional problems.
“Oftentimes, trying to swerve to avoid them just confuses the animal. They dart back into your path, unfortunately,” Hawkins said. “You also raise the chance that you’re going to end up in the path of an oncoming vehicle because you whipped out into the oncoming traffic because suddenly an animal jumped into your lane.”
This story was originally published November 4, 2021 at 11:36 AM.
