Travelers throughout our region have probably noticed far more deer at the roadside than they did a month ago. Their eyes aren’t deceiving them: Fall is by far the worst season for deer collisions.
During mating season, deer are on the move: The fervor of reproducing often leads to erratic behavior, with the animals more likely to run into traffic, especially during dusk. Drivers should be especially alert during the evening rush and during overnight hours.
The state-by-state numbers tell the story:
In Connecticut, there were 387 deer crashes from October to December 2024 — equivalent to one deer crash every six hours, according to the University of Connecticut’s Crash Data Repository. These crashes were most common near sunset, with 71% of deer crashes occurring outside daylight hours. A total of 43% of all deer crashes in 2024 occurred during this three-month period.
The top towns for deer crashes from October to December 2024 in Connecticut were Simsbury (18), Farmington (17), Groton/Wallingford (14), Middletown (13), Shelton/Stonington (11) and Berlin/Bethel/East Windsor/Coventry/Ridgefield (8).
In Massachusetts, there were 1,569 deer crashes, or 44% of all crashes for the year, from October to December 2024 — equivalent to once every 84 minutes, according to the MassDOT Impact Crash Data Portal. These crashes were most common near sunset, with 79% of crashes occurring outside daylight hours.
The top Massachusetts counties for deer crashes from October to December 2024 were Worcester (270), Middlesex (231), Bristol/Plymouth (229) and Essex (124).
The top Massachusetts towns for deer crashes from October to December 2024 were Westport (43), Plymouth (22), Middleborough (19), Wareham (17), Freetown/Hanover/Rehoboth/Sturbridge (16), and Dartmouth/East Bridgewater/Mattapoisett/Westford (15).
In New Jersey, there were 4,244 crashes involving a live animal from October to December 2024 — equivalent to one animal crash every 32 minutes, according to state data from Numetric.
The top New Jersey counties for animal crashes from October to December 2024 were Monmouth (495), Hunterdon (385), Somerset (384), Bergen (365) and Middlesex (326).
The top New Jersey municipalities for animal crashes from October to December 2024 were Raritan (78), Wall (70), Branchburg (64), Bridgewater (63), Readington (62), Franklin Township in Somerset County (61), Sparta (60), Clinton (58), Chery Hill (54) and Hillsborough (52.
October through December saw 48% of animal crashes in New York. The number of vehicles striking animals is up significantly, according to recent data. Last year in New York state, there were 36,743 animal-related crashes, including 1,630 that caused personal injuries and 7 fatal crashes, according to data from the Institute for Traffic Safety Research and Management.
While the bulk of the crashes happen upstate, with Orange and Monroe counties leading with 1,656 and 1,565 respectively, Suffolk County was third statewide with 1,555, the highest total since at least 2018, when the data-collection methodology changed.
The vast majority of the animals struck across the state are deer, often with a significant amount of damage to vehicles and occupants. Rockland saw 645 vehicle-animal hits in 2024, and Westchester had 461. Nassau County recorded 172 animal collisions, the most since at least 2018. Though not nearly as frequent, New York City had animal collisions as well with 75 in the five boroughs; Staten Island led with 25.
The top 10 counties in New York for animal hits were:
- Orange (1,656 — the most since at least 2018)
- Monroe (1,565 — the most since at least 2018)
- Suffolk (1,555 — the most since at least 2018)
- Oneida (1,456 — the most since at least 2018)
- St. Lawrence (1,372)
- Jefferson (1,320 – the most since at least 2018)
- Ontario (1,187)
- Erie (1,162 – the most since at least 2018)
- Ulster (1,079 – the most since 2020)
- Onondaga (997)
In Rhode Island, there were 1,374 deer-related auto crashes in 2024, the same number as in 2023, according to the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management.
The top 10 towns for deer crashes were:
- Tiverton (103)
- South Kingstown (91)
- North Kingston (69)
- Warwick (68)
- Coventry (57)
- Scituate (56)
- Portsmouth (53)
- Glocester (48)
- Cumberland/Jamestown (47)
“Striking a deer can be extremely dangerous, with the animal possibly going through the windshield, seriously injuring or killing the driver and passengers,” said Mark Schieldrop, senior spokesperson for AAA Northeast.
But abrupt evasive maneuvers can be even worse. Drivers should never swerve to avoid a deer, especially on country roads. Going to the right could send the vehicle into a stationary roadside object, such as a tree or light pole. Swerving to the left could result in a lethal head-on crash with oncoming traffic. Even slamming too hard on the brakes could send the front end of the vehicle into a nosedive, rolling the animal up the hood and through the windshield.
The consequences of deer crashes can be severe. In 2023, 218 people were killed and more than 40,000 were injured nationwide in crashes involving live animals, according to the latest data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
AAA offers the following tips for avoiding or mitigating deer crashes:
- Scan the shoulders of the road in front of you. Deer may dash out from wooded areas adjacent to the road.
- Obey the speed limit. Lower speeds will give a driver more time to react to unexpected animal movement.
- Sound the horn with one long blast if you notice animals early enough. The sound may frighten them away.
- Apply the brakes if a collision is unavoidable to lessen the energy of the crash.
- Contact your insurance company to report any damage to your car, which generally falls under comprehensive coverage. Take photos of the damage if you can do so safely and without entering the roadway.
