Deer-Vehicle Collision Frequency Jumps 18 Percent in Five Years

WEST VIRGINIA CONTINUES TO LEAD COLLISION LIKELIHOOD LIST

BLOOMINGTON, Ill., Sept. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- The number of vehicles on U.S.
roadways has grown by 7 percent over the last five years. But the number of
times those vehicles have collided with deer has swelled by much more than
that.

Using its claims data, State Farm®, the nation's leading auto insurer
estimates 2.4 million collisions between deer and vehicles occurred in the
U.S. during the two-year period between July 1, 2007 and June 30, 2009
(100,000 per month). That's 18.3 percent more than five years earlier. To
put it another way, one of these unfortunate encounters occurs every 26
seconds (although they are much more likely during the last three months of
the year and in the early evening).

MORE DEER-VEHICLE COLLISIONS
Among the 35 states where at least 7,000 deer-vehicle collisions occur per
year (we are not including the percentage changes in the other 15 states plus
D.C. because the lower volume of total collisions makes the percentage changes
less credible), New Jersey and Nebraska have posted the largest increases, 54
percent. Kansas is next at 41 percent. Deer-vehicle collisions have jumped
by 38 percent in Florida, Mississippi and Arkansas. Then come Oklahoma (34
percent) and West Virginia, North Carolina and Texas (33 percent).

U.S. map showing percentage change in deer-vehicle collisions by state

LIKELIHOOD OF DEER-VEHICLE COLLISIONS
For the third year in a row, West Virginia tops the list of those states where
a collision with a deer is most likely (for any one vehicle). Using its
claims data in conjunction with state motor vehicle registration counts from
the Federal Highway Administration, State Farm calculates the chances of a
West Virginia vehicle striking a deer over the next 12 months at 1 in 39.
Such an encounter is even more likely in West Virginia than it was a year ago.

Michigan remains second on that list. The likelihood of a specific vehicle
striking a deer there is 1 in 78. Pennsylvania (1 in 94) and Iowa (1 in 104)
remain third and fourth respectively. Montana (1 in 104) moved up three
places to fifth.

Arkansas and South Dakota each dropped a spot to sixth and seventh. Wisconsin
remains eighth. North Dakota and Virginia round out the top 10.

The state in which deer-vehicle collisions are least likely is still Hawaii (1
in 9,931). The odds of any one vehicle hitting a deer in Hawaii during the
next year are roughly equivalent to the odds of randomly picking a piece of
clover and finding it has four leaves.

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

The average property damage cost of these incidents was $3,050, up 3.4 percent
from a year ago.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, deer-vehicle
collisions in the U.S. cause more than 150 fatalities each year.

AVOIDING DEER-VEHICLE COLLISIONS
These collisions are more frequent during the deer migration and mating season
in October, November and December. The combination of growing deer
populations and the displacement of deer habitat caused by urban sprawl are
producing increasingly hazardous conditions for motorists and deer.

"State Farm has been committed to auto safety for several decades and that's
why we want to call attention to potential hazards like this one," said
Laurette Stiles, State Farm Vice President of Strategic Resources. "We hope
our updated information will inspire motorists to make safe decisions."

Here are tips on how to reduce the chances that a deer-vehicle collision
involving your vehicle will be part of the story we tell in next year's
version of this news release:
-- 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.

About State Farm
State Farm® insures more cars and homes than any other insurer in the U.S., is
the leading insurer of watercraft and is also a leading insurer in Canada.
State Farm's 17,700 agents and 68,600 employees serve 81 million policies and
accounts - more than 78.7 million auto fire, life and health policies in the
United States and Canada, and more than 1.9 million bank accounts. State Farm
Mutual Automobile Insurance Company is the parent of the State Farm family of
companies. State Farm is ranked No. 31 on the Fortune 500 list of largest
companies. For more information, please visit statefarm.com® or in Canada
statefarm.ca®.

SOURCE State Farm

Dick Luedke of State Farm, +1-309-766-3635