COLUMBUS – November is the month for football, colorful leaves and Thanksgiving, but also for deer-vehicle crashes, which happened more often last year than any time since 2011, according to state officials.
More than 21,000 people were involved in deer-vehicle crashes on Ohio roadways last year, resulting in four fatalities and 801 injuries, according to the Ohio Department of Public Safety.
November is the peak month for deer-vehicle crashes, said Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor, director of the Ohio Department of Insurance.
To avoid deer crashes…
Scan the road and shoulders ahead of you.
Use high beam headlights if there’s no oncoming traffic.
Be extra cautious at dawn and dusk.
If you strike a deer or other animal move your vehicle to a safe place, preferably off the road and turn on your hazard lights.
Contact law enforcement to report the traffic crash.
Source: Ohio State Highway Patrol, AAA
Taylor also recommended making sure you have adequate insurance coverage. The comprehensive coverage portion of your policy, not the liability portion, is most often used to pay repair damage for deer-vehicle incidents.
She recommends photographing any damage to support your claim.