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Wyoming Deer-Vehicle Collision Frequency Up 7 Percent From A Year Ago

U.S. Collision Frequency Trending Downward

Cheyenne, Wyo., Oct. 4, 2011 - Bucking the national trend, Wyoming deer-vehicle collisions rose by 7 percent between July 1, 2010 and June 30, 2011. Using its claims data in conjunction with state licensed driver counts from the Federal Highway Administration, State Farm® calculated the chances of a Wyoming motorist striking a deer over the next 12 months at one in 108, an increase in collisions from a year ago when the odds were one in 114.

Wyoming's 7 percent increase contradicts an accelerated downward trending across the U.S. for the third consecutive year where deer-vehicle collisions dropped by 7 percent. The U.S. percentage decline over the last year is nearly three times as large as during the previous two years combined.

"We can't put our finger directly on what's causing a decline in deer-vehicle collisions," said State Farm Spokeswoman Angela Thorpe. "However, calling attention to potential hazards like this one is part of our DNA."

For the fifth year in a row, West Virginia tops the list of states where an individual driver is most likely to run in to a deer. The state in which deer-vehicle collisions are least likely is still Hawaii (1 in 6,267).

State Farm's data shows that November, the heart of the deer migration and mating season, is the month during which deer-vehicle encounters are most likely. More than 18 percent of all such mishaps take place during the 30 days of November, followed by October and then December.

The average property damage cost in the U.S. of these incidents during the final half of 2010 and the first half of 2011 was $3,171, up 2.2 percent from the year before.

Here are tips on how to reduce the odds of a deer-vehicle collision:

• Be aware of posted deer crossing signs. These are placed in active deer crossing areas.
• Remember that deer are most active between 6 and 9 p.m.
• Use high beam headlamps as much as possible at night to illuminate the areas from which deer will enter roadways.
• Keep in mind that deer generally travel in herds - if you see one, there is a strong possibility others are nearby.
• Do not rely on car-mounted deer whistles.
• If a deer collision seems inevitable, attempting to swerve out of the way could cause you to lose control of your vehicle or place you in the path of an oncoming vehicle.

*Media links

U.S. map showing likelihood of deer-vehicle collision by state

Chart listing likelihood of vehicle-deer collision by state

Broadcast quality video and supplemental multimedia assets are available for downloading at the State Farm Newsroom.

Contact

Angela M. Thorpe, State Farm Corporate Public Affairs, (303) 264-1560.

About State Farm

State Farm is the largest provider of car insurance in the U.S. and is a leading insurer in Canada. In addition to providing auto insurance quotes, 17,800 agents and more than 65,000 employees serve 81 million policies and accounts - more than 79 million auto, home, life and health policies in the United States and Canada, and nearly 2 million bank accounts. Commercial auto insurance, along with coverage for renters, business owners, boats and motorcycles, is also available. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company is the parent of the State Farm family of companies. State Farm is ranked No. 37 on the Fortune 500 list of largest companies. For more information, please visit http://www.statefarm.com or in Canada http://www.statefarm.ca.