It’s well into harvest time for Tri-State farmers, and as the corn stalks come down, deer-vehicle collisions will begin to increase.
Corn fields provide both security and food for deer, so when the combines roll, the deer become more active and look for food sources to get them through the winter. Combine that with how many of those fields are a stone’s throw from major highways, and you get a recipe for wrecks.
Deer hunting, harvest and mating season
“It’s harvest season, mating season and hunting season in the fall, so it all comes together to get the deer running around,” said Sgt. Todd Ringle, a spokesman for the Indiana State Police, told the Courier & Press in 2021.
Insurance giant State Farm ranks Indiana in the middle of the pack for animal-vehicle collision risk, with a driver risk of 1 in 102 (25th among all states). Kentucky is slightly higher at a 1 in 98 chance (23rd), while Illinois is lower at 1 in 170 (34th). The greatest risk is in West Virginia, where drivers have a 1 in 40 chance of hitting an animal.
(Some context: The chances of you being struck by lightning in any given year are one in 1.22 million. There is a 1 in 220 chance that you will be audited by the IRS, and a 1 in 6 chance that you get food poisoning in a given year.)
When are you most likely to hit a deer?
Joe Caudill of the Indiana Department of Natural Resources said deer collisions begin to increase in September and peak in mid-November.
At its peak, there are about three times as many collisions every day as during the rest of the year. Then the numbers drop until they return to normal levels in January, Caudill told the Courier & Press in 2021.
The number of daily collisions in Indiana has two peaks per day: around 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., Caudill said.
Be alert for roadside movements that may indicate the presence of animals, especially in areas with deer crossing signs.
What should you do if a deer crosses your path?
Let’s say a deer jumps into the roadway as you approach. According to Ringle, the worst thing you can do is swerve. The best move is to hit the brakes and hope for a good outcome.
“We see a lot more problems (in terms of injuries) when people try to swerve to miss the deer,” Ringle said. “When you’re driving on the highway – whether it’s 80 to 90 km per hour on the road or 75 km per hour on the highway – and you try to swerve, you often lose control of the car.
“The chances of regaining control after leaving the roadway at these speeds are virtually nil. People end up crashing into guardrails and trees,” Ringle said.
More: Here’s how hunters can sign up to participate in controlled deer hunts in Indiana state parks
According to Indiana State Police statistics, there were 16,448 collisions involving deer in Indiana in 2023. Those clashes resulted in 497 injuries and seven deaths. In the period from October to December alone, there were 7,289 collisions, resulting in 237 injuries and two deaths.
Locally, during the period October-December 2023, the figures per province were as follows:
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Vanderburgh County: 56 collisions, two injuries.
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Warrick County: 123 collisions, four injuries.
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Posey County: 55 collisions, three injuries.
What should you do if you hit a deer?
First, if you can, get your vehicle off the highway if it’s safe and manageable, Ringle said. One wreck can quickly turn into two accidents – or a pile-up – if drivers don’t see the mess ahead.
“A lot of people feel like if they move the car, the police will consider leaving the scene. We don’t,” Ringle said. “Go to a safe location and call the police.”
If your car has sustained so much damage that it can’t be moved, try turning on the flashing hazard lights, Ringle said. If you can get to a safe location away from the road, do so. If the area is less hospitable for standing outside the car, stay inside with your seat belt fastened.
And Ringle can’t stress this enough: If the deer survived the collision, don’t go near it.
“The deer will get injured and panic and become aggressive,” he said. “The main thing we see is people getting kicked.”
About that carcass…
It is not unusual for a local resident to claim the deer after a wreck, if there is still enough of the animal left to process for food.
Indiana Department of Natural Resources officials say a road kill permit can be issued by any law enforcement officer or DNR property manager.
And if you’re a hunter, know that the claim doesn’t count toward your annual tag limit.
This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: What happens if I hit a deer with my car?
