Deer Kill Pennsylvania Drivers

A study has found that Pennsylvania drivers face one risk more often than motorists in almost any other state: deer. A study done by a highway safety group says that 112 people have been killed in Pennsylvania as a result of car accidents involving deer and other animals, the third highest number in the country.

The study, conducted by the Highway Loss Data Institute and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, found that deer were the animal most often involved in PA traffic accidents. Additionally, insurance claims for crashes involving animals are three times higher in November than they are from January through September. The months with the highest crash rates coincide with mating season.

The only proven countermeasure to animal-related crashes is fencing, which can be extremely expensive. As an alternative, the Governors Highway Safety Association recommends that motorists slow down, especially during dusk and while on rural roads. The states with the two highest animal-related car accident rates over the past 15 years are Texas with 227 and Wisconsin with 123.