November is the peak month for hitting deer with a car - according to insurers State Farm, 18% of annual deer-car collisions occur in the month of November. Deer are most active in late fall, traveling widely for mating and migration.
And Minnesota is one of the most-at-risk states for hitting a deer with your car, with a 1 in 98 chance of hitting a deer this year.
Not good odds for drivers, or deer. The result of car-deer collisions is usually a totaled car or a hefty repair bill, and a dead or fatally wounded deer. And hitting a deer can be fatal for the people in the car too. A deer through the windshield is bad news for the driver and front seat passengers.
Swerving to avoid the deer is worse than hitting it - swerving can result in loosing control and rolling the car, or hitting something else, like a tree, barrier, or other vehicle.
It's unfortunate for the deer, but if a deer or other animal runs in front of your car, don't swerve, especially when traveling at speed. The best thing to do is to keep your course, and brake in a firm and controlled manner, even if it means hitting the deer.
What can you do to avoid hitting a deer with your car in Minnesota? Not much, unfortunately. Deer are a part of life in Minnesota and they will always be wandering across the roads and highways. So be alert to deer as you drive, especially at dawn and dusk, when they are most active.
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