Drivers: Here Is When You Are Most Likely To Hit Deer New York

If you're traveling through rural areas in New York State, you will be more likely to hit a deer now. The movie Bambi conditioned us to think of deer as cute little animals. But anyone driving on an Interstate in New York knows that when you see one on the side of the road, cute is not what comes to mind. When I see a deer on the side of the road all I think about is how much damage they can do to my vehicle and me.

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How Much Does Vehicle Damage Caused By Hitting Deer Cost?

According to MoneyGeek, around 1.5 million deer-car accidents occur annually,

More than $1 billion in annual insured losses are due to damages caused by deer-car accidents. Deer-car accidents cause about 175 to 200 fatalities and 10,000 injuries annually.

In New York State, which is ranked number 32 for deer-car accidents, you have a one in 124 chance of hitting a deer with your vehicle.

When Are Drivers Most Likely To Hit A In New York State?

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MoneyGeek says that drivers are most likely to hit deer at dusk or dawn. Deer are most active and thus cause the most accidents at dusk, followed by dawn. The odds of hitting a deer also increase during a full moon.

The moon’s phase showed an impact on the frequency of collisions. Based on studies, most deer-car accidents happen during a full moon. The number peaks at the time when the moon is the brightest. That is because deer tend to move greater distances when nights are highly illuminated. This means they are more likely to enter roadways.

The New York State Department of Transportation says that 65,000 annual deer-vehicle collisions in the state. Most of these accidents happen from October through December.