[Infographic] How to Prevent or Deal with Deer-Vehicle Collisions: A Complete Guide

Fall brings increased deer movement during mating season in much of the country, coinciding with a rise in deer-related crashes. State Farm estimates more than 1.6 million animal-vehicle collision claims across the United States between July 1, 2025, and June 30, 2026. During that period, State Farm paid $1.9 billion in animal-vehicle collision claims. These figures cover animals generally, not deer alone, and the payout figure represents State Farm’s costs rather than a nationwide total.

Animal collisions can also be deadly. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reports that 210 people died in motor vehicle crashes involving collisions with animals in 2024. Its national fatality data do not identify the animal species involved.

State Farm’s 2025–2026 analysis puts the national odds of an animal collision at 1 in 145. The five states with the highest estimated likelihood of an animal collision were:

• West Virginia: 1 in 46
• Montana: 1 in 54
• Wisconsin: 1 in 62
• Pennsylvania: 1 in 64
• Michigan: 1 in 68

To avoid injuring yourself, your passengers, and the deer, we came up with three guidelines in dealing with deer-related collisions: prevention, reaction, and post-collision.

Pro Tips are nuggets of information direct from ASE-certified automobile technicians working with CarParts.com, which may include unique, personal insights based on their years of experience working in the automotive industry. These can help you make more informed decisions about your car.

Pro Tip: Of course, cows, hogs, horses, and other animals can also cause serious collisions. Unlike livestock, wild deer generally aren’t confined by fences.

Prevention: How to Avoid Hitting a Deer

To prevent the unfortunate event of hitting a deer, you need to learn a few things about their habits and take on some habits of your own to increase your awareness and reflexes. Of course, if a deer charges out of the woods and runs into the side of your vehicle, you may not even see it coming or have time to react.

Remember when deer are most active.

Apart from knowing which areas have high deer populations, you also need to be aware of the times that deer are most active, particularly at dusk and dawn, although they can cross roads at any time. Unfortunately, this can be the perfect formula for a disaster since these are the times that drivers tend to get drowsy. If you absolutely need to drive during these times, make sure you stay alert.

Make sure your car is in good shape.

Before you head out on the road, be sure to thoroughly check your vehicle, especially your brakes, suspension, and tires. It’s essential to keep these parts in good condition to ensure optimal stopping performance.

Pay close attention to the road and refrain from speeding.

Minding the road and not speeding may sound cliche, but it’s one of the most effective ways to prevent accidents of all kinds. Speeding often leads to tunnel vision, which could explain why crossing animals may seem to appear out of nowhere.

Paying close attention to road signs is doable at legal speeds. Most deer accident-prone areas have an abundance of “Deer Crossing” signs. However, even without the warning signs, it’s important to be vigilant at all times.

Use high beams when traffic and visibility allow.

High beams are designed to illuminate the road at a higher angle. If a deer suddenly jumps in your path to cross the street, a low beam light might not catch it right away. Switching on your high beams will help widen your vision in poorly lit areas with minimal traffic.

Dim your high beams before they interfere with other drivers’ vision. Follow your state’s required distances; for example, California requires low beams within 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle and within 300 feet of a vehicle you’re following. Use low beams in fog, heavy rain, or snow, when high beams can worsen glare.

Reaction: How to React When a Deer Jumps in Front of Your Car

Next, you need to learn how best to react in case a deer suddenly appears right in front of your car. Swerving to avoid a deer can cause a more serious crash. Swerving to the left could lead you into oncoming traffic, while swerving to the right could lead you into a tree, ditch, fence, or other roadside object.

Pro Tips are nuggets of information direct from ASE-certified automobile technicians working with CarParts.com, which may include unique, personal insights based on their years of experience working in the automotive industry. These can help you make more informed decisions about your car.

Pro Tip: Remember, deer sometimes travel in single file, and if one deer crosses in front of you, don’t let your eyes follow that deer or you may hit one following it. Slow down and keep watching the road and roadsides for additional deer.

To increase your chances of receiving minimal damage, hold firmly onto the steering wheel and apply the brakes until you’ve come to a full stop. With four-wheel ABS, apply firm, continuous pressure to the brake pedal without pumping it. Without ABS, brake firmly while avoiding wheel lockup. If the wheels lock and the vehicle starts to skid, ease off the pedal enough to let the wheels roll, then reapply controlled braking.

The best-case scenario is you’re able to stop before hitting the deer. But if hitting the deer is inevitable, you should aim to reduce the impact as much as possible. Make sure you don’t swerve so you don’t hit other cars or any hard objects on the side of the road.

Post-Collision: What to Do If You Hit a Deer

Whether you have liability-only or comprehensive insurance does not determine your crash-reporting obligations. Reporting requirements depend on state law and the circumstances of the crash, including injuries, property damage, and whether your vehicle can be driven safely. Check the applicable requirements before leaving the scene.

Even if you take precautions by driving carefully and paying full attention to the road, a deer could suddenly appear in front of your car, and even if you react quickly, the distance between your car and the deer could be so short that you wouldn’t have time to bring your vehicle to a full stop. If you find yourself in a collision, here’s what you should do:

Warning: In a worst-case scenario, the deer might come through the windshield and cause serious injury.

Check yourself and your passengers for possible injuries.

The first and most important thing to do after any collision is to check whether you or your passengers are injured. Call 911 immediately if anyone is injured or needs urgent medical help. Do this before exiting the vehicle.

1. Turn your hazard lights on.

Be it a deer, a car, a pole, or a barrier, flicking your hazard lights on is one of the most critical items on your to-do list. This will signal approaching vehicles that there is a hazard ahead. If your car won’t start, place warning triangles only if you can do so safely without entering traffic or approaching the deer.

2. If possible, move your vehicle to the side of the road.

If your vehicle can be moved safely, pull over out of traffic. A running engine alone does not mean the vehicle is safe to drive. If you see smoke, smell fuel, or suspect serious damage, shut off the engine and call for help. This will help keep you and others on the road safe. Once you’ve pulled over, keep your hazard lights on. Do not walk into traffic to place warning triangles.

3. Contact authorities, using 911 for emergencies.

Call 911 if anyone is injured or the crash creates an immediate danger, such as a disabled vehicle or deer blocking a traffic lane. For a minor collision without an immediate hazard, contact local law enforcement through its nonemergency number for reporting guidance. Explain what happened and follow the dispatcher’s instructions. If officers respond, their incident report can help with an insurance claim. If they do not respond, ask how to complete any required report.

4. Document the scene while waiting for authorities.

If it is safe, document the scene from a location away from traffic. Taking photos as evidence will be helpful for your insurance claim. If there are witnesses to the accident, be sure to get a statement and their contact information in case they need to retell the events.

5. Don’t touch or lift the deer from its position.

Whatever happens, even if the deer cries in pain, do not attempt to approach it. Deer are powerful animals, and a kick from their hooves can injure or even incapacitate you. Keep well away from the animal and leave its handling or removal to trained responders. Do not approach it to take photos.

6. Give your car a thorough check.

Inspect your car and ensure all essential components like your lights, turn signals, engine, and suspension are working properly before attempting to drive away from the scene. Make sure there are no fluid leaks underneath your car either. You wouldn’t want to get involved in another accident right after the deer collision due to malfunctioning parts. A roadside visual check cannot rule out hidden damage. If the vehicle has damaged tires, impaired steering or braking, leaking fluids, broken lights needed for visibility, or a hood that won’t latch, arrange a tow rather than driving it.

7. Call your insurance company.

It’s important that your insurance claim gets processed as soon as possible after the accident has taken place. So after you’ve addressed immediate safety needs and contacted authorities as appropriate, call your insurance agent promptly. Keep in mind that insurance policies vary depending on the company, but damage from directly striking a deer typically falls under comprehensive coverage, subject to your policy’s terms and deductible. Liability-only coverage generally does not pay to repair your own vehicle. Carefully review your insurance policy with your agent.