Nov 22, 2017 3 min read

Though it’s not an official holiday, it’s Thanksgiving Eve today. It’s the day when many people will be hitting the highways and traveling to eat turkey and stuffing with family and friends (or, for the vegetarians among us, Tofurky, the turkey substitute). It’s estimated 51 million Americans will be traveling more than 50 miles at some point in the next few days, a 12-year high and the reflection of a relatively solid economy.

Aside from taking the usual care to drive defensively and avoiding all the hazards that can lead to accidents, such as speeding and texting, drivers in this part of the world need to be on the lookout for another peril – deer that could dart out into the road.

Pennsylvania is third in the nation for deer-vehicle collisions, according to an annual survey compiled by State Farm Insurance. In Pennsylvania, drivers have a 1 in 63 chance of striking a deer, with only West Virginia and Montana besting us. The number of deer carcasses that litter the sides of I-79 and I-70 offer evidence of this carnage, and the winding, rural roads in Washington and Greene counties present yet more possibilities for vehicles and deer to collide.

October, November and December are the peak months for deer collisions, in part because the sun rises later and sets earlier, and deer tend to be most active during morning and evening rush hours. This is also the time of year when deer are mating and, to put it diplomatically, their minds are not on avoiding oncoming vehicles.

Hitting a deer can be a potentially fatal proposition for drivers, and almost certainly so for deer. In 2016, there were 4,223 crashes involving deer and other animals, according to AAA, and 13 fatalities. It’s also expensive. State Farm reports that the average claim after a collision is $4,179.

Aside from being particularly attentive in the morning and evening, the automobile association also advises that drivers keep an eye out for the yellow, diamond-shaped signs that indicate areas of high deer activity. If you see one deer, be particularly alert because deer rarely wander alone. Though high beams should be used sparingly, using them when no traffic is oncoming can offer a driver the means to see deer early, and react with greater speed. If a deer, or any other animal, should jump in front of a vehicle, drivers should not swerve. It can cause a driver to lose control and strike another vehicle.

State Farm also contends that deer whistles do not work, so drivers should not rely on them.

Of course, there are a host of common-sense measures that drivers should take even when they are not on the lookout for four-legged interlopers: Avoiding distractions, like eating or using electronic devices; wearing protective gear if you are on a motorcycle; driving while extremely tired or after a few drinks is never advisable at any time; and using safety belts is always wise.

A side note: the Wednesday before Thanksgiving has been dubbed “Blackout Wednesday” and “Drinksgiving” due to the number of people who preface the consumption of the Thursday feast with plentiful drinking the night before. Mothers Against Drunk Driving reports that more people are killed in drunken-driving accidents during the Thanksgiving weekend than on either New Year’s Eve or St. Patrick’s Day. It’s all the more reason for drivers to exercise additional caution.

We hope everyone stays safe and, above all, has a happy Thanksgiving.