Montana is No. 2 in deer-vehicle collisions

A recent study by State Farm Insurance reports that Montana drivers have a 1 in 65 chance of colliding with a deer at some point next year — the second highest rate in the nation. Only West Virginia has a higher rate.

While the odds of hitting a deer in Montana far exceed the national average, the rate is down 6 percent from last year. The average property damage cost of these incidents is about $3,414.

For the seventh year in a row, deer-vehicle confrontations are most probable in West Virginia (1 in 41), followed by Montana, Iowa, South Dakota and Pennsylvania. Drivers are least likely to hit a deer in Hawaii, Arizona and Nevada.

State Farm’s data shows that vehicle-deer collisions are most likely to occur in November, the heart of the deer hunting and mating seasons. October is the second most likely month for a crash involving a deer, and December is third.

Tips on how to reduce the odds of a deer-vehicle confrontation include:

• Deer generally travel in herds — if a driver sees one, there is a strong possibility others are nearby.

• Be aware of posted deer crossing signs, which are in active deer crossing areas.

• Deer are most active between 6 and 9 p.m.

• Use high-beam headlamps as much as possible at night to illuminate areas where deer enter roadways.

• If a deer collision seems inevitable, attempting to swerve out of the way could cause a driver to lose control of the vehicle or place it in the path of an oncoming vehicle.

• Don’t rely on car-mounted deer whistles.