Drivers: be on the look out for deer, wildlife

SEATTLE - Vehicles and deer can be a lethal combination on Northwest roads. As the weather gets colder, deer and other wildlife migrate from the mountains and you face greater risk of collisions when they dart across roads and highways.

More deer-vehicle accidents occur between October and December than any other time of the year.

The Washington Department of Transportation reported 4,537 collisions involving large, non-domestic animals from 2001 to 2003. These kinds of collisions result in more than 100 deaths and 13,000 injuries nationwide each year and more than $1 billion in vehicle damage.

"Rain makes it more difficult to stop suddenly," said Karl Newman, NW Insurance Council president. "Caution and alertness can save your life and eliminate the need for costly vehicle repairs."

In Oregon, Nearly 2,400 vehicle accidents involving wildlife have occurred over the past five years, according to the Oregon Department of Transportation. As a result, 666 people were injured and 10 died.

The Office of Highway Safety, Idaho Department of Transportation reported 1,012 collisions involving large, non-domestic animals in 2005, a ten percent increase from 2004. Between 2001 and 2005, OHS reported 4,426 collisions involving wildlife.

The average deer-vehicle auto claim involving bodily injury is about $11,000, according to the Insurance Information Institute.

NW Insurance Council offers the following defensive driving tips to help you avoid deer while on the road:

• Be attentive from sunset to midnight and hours before and after sunrise. These are the highest-risk periods for deer-vehicle collisions
• Drive with caution when moving through deer-crossing zones, in areas known to have a large deer population and in areas where roads divide agricultural fields from forestland.
• Deer seldom run alone. If you see one deer, others may be nearby.
• When driving at night, use high beam headlights when there is no oncoming traffic.
• Brake firmly when you notice a deer in or near your path and stay in your lane. Many serious crashes occur when drivers swerve to avoid a deer and hit another vehicle or lose control of their cars.

If you have comprehensive coverage, your auto insurance policy will pay for damage to your vehicle, less the deductible, if you hit a deer or any other animal.

If you have questions about coverage, contact your insurance agent or company.For more information, call the NW Insurance Council at (800) 664-4942 or visit http://www.nwinsurance.org.

NW Insurance Council is a nonprofit, public-education organization funded by member insurance companies.

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