Deer–vehicle collisions

A deer-vehicle collision occurs when one or more deer and a human-operated vehicle collide on a roadway. It can result in deer fatality, property damage, and human injury or death. The number of accidents, injuries, and fatalities varies from year to year and region. In the United States an estimated 1.23 million deer related accidents occurred in a one-year period ending June 2012 (a 7.7 percent increase from the previous year), resulting in $3,305 in average property damage. The largest proportion of such accidents occur in November.

In 2000, of the 6.1 million lightweight motor vehicle collisions re US, 1 million involved animal-vehicle collisions. Deer–vehicle collisions lead to about 200 human deaths and $1.1 billion in property damage every year. State and federal governments, insurance companies, and drivers spend an additional $3 billion in an effort to reduce and manage the increasing number of deer-vehicle collisions. The term "deer-vehicle collision" is commonly annotated throughout safety agencies as DVC.

In Canada during the year 2000 there were nearly 29,000 animal-vehicle collisions resulting in property damage only, an additional 1,887 involving non-fatal injuries, and 23 fatal collisions.

In Germany over 220,000 traffic collisions occur annually involving deer, over 1000 of which lead to human injuries and around 20 to human fatalities.

Deer–vehicle collisions have occurred since roadways have been built in close and direct proximity to direct habitat, also known as deer habitat fragmentation. White-tailed deer, the most common deer involved in deer-vehicle collisions, have steadily increased in numbers since the turn of the 20th century. Currently, it is estimated that 20 to 30 million deer populate North America. The actual number of animals killed in deer-vehicle collisions is not known because no such database exists. In 1981 study, it was concluded that "large animals," which included deer, accounted for 26% of animals killed each year in collisions with vehicles on interstates and country roads.

The expansion and technological advances of roadways in the US have increased the number of deer-vehicle collisions. The increased amount of habitat fragmentation, due to expanding technology, has increased the likelihood of a deer-vehicle collision.

In the United States, the state with the highest number of deer-vehicle collisions is Pennsylvania, with an estimated 115,000 collisions in 2013 causing $400 million in damage.West Virginia is the state with the highest risk that a motorist will hit a deer whilst driving.

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Wikipedia