The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
State reports increase in deer-related crashes
The Ohio Department of Public Safety has reported there were 4,256 deer-vehicle crashes on the state’s roadways in November 2016, twice as many as the next leading month, and Lorain County recorded the second highest number of incidents for 2016.
A crash facts report is compiled at the end of every year by the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
Deer-vehicle related accidents are causing some of the crashes on Ohio roadways, according to Highway Patrol Lt. Rob Sellers.
In total, people were involved in more than 18,400 deer-related crashes in 2016, Sellers said.
The most incidents occurred in Stark County, which recorded 510. Lorain had 459; Hamilton, 452; Richland, 433; and Trumbull, 411.
Ohio Department of Insurance Director Jillian Froment and Highway Patrol Superintendent Colonel Paul Pride, in a media release, are encouraging Ohio drivers to complete an insurance review for complete coverage and to drive with extra caution.
“Ohioans can protect themselves by committing to attentive driving and having the appropriate insurance in place,” Froment said. “Driver focus is vital the entire year, especially in November with the amount of increased deer activity.”
In an arc-solutions. org report in November 2011, Rob Found, a biologist from the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada, said late October through early December is mating season for North American deer.
“Males are so focused on mating, they’re not thinking straight,” Found said in the report. “They’re looking for mates and for other males to fight.”
Sellers believes with the immense populations of white-tailed deer, citizens and roadways in both Stark and Lorain counties, the two areas elevated the top of the deer-related crash list.
Pride encourages if you see a deer in any of the roadways , slow down, but do not swerve.
If you strike a deer, move to a safe place, turn on your hazard lights and report the accident, he said.
Deer are most active at dawn and dusk. To help keep safe, officials urge motorists to scan the road and shoulders ahead of them as well as using high beams when there is no oncoming traffic.
During the actions of coverage evaluation and claim filing, the state insurance department encourages motorists to become more knowledgeable on these issues.
Most insurance companies can cover deer or any wildlife incidents, but because it is technically a collision, it is not covered by collision insurance, according to dmv.org.
To pay for incidents as these, one will need comprehensive car insurance, officials said.
Comprehensive coverage includes situations under vandalism, theft, fire, “acts of God,” such as hail damage or flooding, and lastly, collisions with deer or other animals.
If this situation occurs, the state insurance department also urges one to photograph any damage to support an insurance claim.
For more safe driving tips, visit www. publicsafety.ohio.gov. Insurance information is available at www. insurance.ohio.gov. For any insurance questions, call the Ohio Department of Insurance at 800-6861526.
“Ohioans can protect themselves by committing to attentive driving and having the appropriate insurance in place. Driver focus is vital the entire year, especially in November with the amount of increased deer activity.”
— Ohio Department of Insurance Director Jillian Froment