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Deer crossing drivers' paths
By Jenny Fillmer, Springfield News-Leader
November 7, 2003
Be especially alert for the animals in morning, evening as activity peaks.
Accidents between deer and vehicles total nearly 1.5 million a year, causing an average of $2,000 in damage per vehicle, according to the Insurance Information Institute. Randy Buchanan of Dodson-Williams Automotive in Springfield works Thursday afternoon on a truck involved in one such accident.
Christina Dicken / News-Leader
Norman Lindsey had deer on his mind Tuesday when he and a buddy set out for a motorcycle ride at dusk.
"I hit one with my truck a couple of years ago — that's why I know to watch for them," said Lindsey, a resort owner who lives near Reeds Spring.
"We ride our motorcycles a lot slower in the evening than in the day, because they come out at night."
It didn't help. Lindsey's orange custom three-wheeled motorcycle met "a real good-sized doe," leaping before him on Stone County DD.
"It hit right in my handlebars, about three foot off the ground," Lindsey recalled Thursday evening, while recovering at home from the wreck.
"It looked like she tried to commit suicide."
Nationwide, an estimated 1.5 million accidents a year are caused by deer in the paths of vehicles, resulting in some 150 human deaths, according to recent report by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
Only a portion of such accidents in Missouri are reported to the state Highway Patrol — 4,200 collisions last year, causing 322 injuries and three fatalities. A fourth person died avoiding a deer.
Deer collisions happen year-round, but Highway Patrol statistics show the numbers spike in autumn, when mating season and heavy pre-winter feeding sends deer on the move.
Almost half the accidents involving deer in Missouri happen between October and New Year's Day, nearly a quarter of them in November.
Lindsey became one of those statistics — again — with his accident. He was thrown from his bike and rolled several times on the road. He broke his wrist in four places, bruised his hip and received "a lot of road rash."
The crash was reported just after 5:30 p.m., a time of day experts say many deer collisions happen.
"The morning and the evening is when the deer activity is at its peak," said Francis Skalicky, a spokesman for the Missouri Department of Conservation.
"That's the most likely time of day for having a deer-vehicle accident. But it can happen any time of day, in any location."
Deer have adapted to all kinds of habitats, Skalicky said, including urban areas, where one in four Missouri road accidents involving deer occur.
"Just yesterday, I saw a deer on the side of the side of Lone Pine (in Springfield)," Skalicky said Thursday. "When you get in your car, you have to make a mental note to be on the lookout for deer, especially in areas where you've seen deer before."
Skalicky cautions motorists to be wary of deer standing on roadsides, even if they appear to see an approaching vehicle.
"Sometimes the deer will become startled by the vehicle, and they'll bolt right in front of the car," said Skalicky. "They think they are escaping, but in actuality, they are jumping right into an accident."
Conservation officials say deer often travel in groups — when one clears a roadway, several more may be following it.
The night Lindsey hit a deer, his wife had just spotted a few more up the road.
"My wife, who was coming the other way, had to stop for some deer in the road. Then she saw my crash about 300 feet later."
A collision with a deer can be costly. Average damage to a vehicle is about $2,000, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety study said.
Jeff McCallister Jr., an estimator at Dodson-Williams Automotive Inc. in Springfield, said the damage is usually superficial.
"It's all cosmetic or very light structural damage," said McCallister, who has estimated damage from at least 10 deer hit in the last two weeks.
Most of the damage is on the front end, McCallister said.
"But they hit everywhere," he added. "They'll run into the sides of cars. I've replaced lots of doors and rear quarter panels, where the front is untouched."
Don Melton, owner of Barkers' Frame and Collision in Springfield, said a single deer can hit a vehicle two or three times.
"A lot of times when they hit the front end, the deer will swing around and hit the side of the car," said Melton, who hit a deer himself a couple of years ago. "It can do some pretty good damage. We've got a truck in here right now that was $4,700."
For insurance purposes, it may be better to hit a deer than to damage your auto avoiding one.
"If you run into a deer, that's a comprehensive claim, and your insurance company does not charge you for it, minus your deductible," said Jim Enyart, an agent for Ollis and Company Insurance in Springfield.
"If you swerve and miss the deer, and run off the road or hit a car, that becomes a collision, and your insurance company can increase your premium because of that."
It's not necessary to contact law enforcement after a deer is hit, Enyart said, unless there is extensive damage or human injuries.
One need not fret over the fate of the deer, Skalicky said.
"If it runs off, don't worry about it. It will either heal up or become food for another wild animal."
But if it's dead, you can keep it, he said: "The driver is entitled to it. You just need to come by our office and fill out a form."
As for the doe Lindsey hit Tuesday, it disappeared into the woods soon after the collision, much to Lindsey's chagrin.
"It killed my trike. I'd like to have been eating steaks off it tonight."
Contact Jenny Fillmer at jfillmer@News-Leader.com.
By Jenny Fillmer, Springfield News-Leader
November 7, 2003
Be especially alert for the animals in morning, evening as activity peaks.
Accidents between deer and vehicles total nearly 1.5 million a year, causing an average of $2,000 in damage per vehicle, according to the Insurance Information Institute. Randy Buchanan of Dodson-Williams Automotive in Springfield works Thursday afternoon on a truck involved in one such accident.
Christina Dicken / News-Leader
Norman Lindsey had deer on his mind Tuesday when he and a buddy set out for a motorcycle ride at dusk.
"I hit one with my truck a couple of years ago — that's why I know to watch for them," said Lindsey, a resort owner who lives near Reeds Spring.
"We ride our motorcycles a lot slower in the evening than in the day, because they come out at night."
It didn't help. Lindsey's orange custom three-wheeled motorcycle met "a real good-sized doe," leaping before him on Stone County DD.
"It hit right in my handlebars, about three foot off the ground," Lindsey recalled Thursday evening, while recovering at home from the wreck.
"It looked like she tried to commit suicide."
Nationwide, an estimated 1.5 million accidents a year are caused by deer in the paths of vehicles, resulting in some 150 human deaths, according to recent report by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
Only a portion of such accidents in Missouri are reported to the state Highway Patrol — 4,200 collisions last year, causing 322 injuries and three fatalities. A fourth person died avoiding a deer.
Deer collisions happen year-round, but Highway Patrol statistics show the numbers spike in autumn, when mating season and heavy pre-winter feeding sends deer on the move.
Almost half the accidents involving deer in Missouri happen between October and New Year's Day, nearly a quarter of them in November.
Lindsey became one of those statistics — again — with his accident. He was thrown from his bike and rolled several times on the road. He broke his wrist in four places, bruised his hip and received "a lot of road rash."
The crash was reported just after 5:30 p.m., a time of day experts say many deer collisions happen.
"The morning and the evening is when the deer activity is at its peak," said Francis Skalicky, a spokesman for the Missouri Department of Conservation.
"That's the most likely time of day for having a deer-vehicle accident. But it can happen any time of day, in any location."
Deer have adapted to all kinds of habitats, Skalicky said, including urban areas, where one in four Missouri road accidents involving deer occur.
"Just yesterday, I saw a deer on the side of the side of Lone Pine (in Springfield)," Skalicky said Thursday. "When you get in your car, you have to make a mental note to be on the lookout for deer, especially in areas where you've seen deer before."
Skalicky cautions motorists to be wary of deer standing on roadsides, even if they appear to see an approaching vehicle.
"Sometimes the deer will become startled by the vehicle, and they'll bolt right in front of the car," said Skalicky. "They think they are escaping, but in actuality, they are jumping right into an accident."
Conservation officials say deer often travel in groups — when one clears a roadway, several more may be following it.
The night Lindsey hit a deer, his wife had just spotted a few more up the road.
"My wife, who was coming the other way, had to stop for some deer in the road. Then she saw my crash about 300 feet later."
A collision with a deer can be costly. Average damage to a vehicle is about $2,000, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety study said.
Jeff McCallister Jr., an estimator at Dodson-Williams Automotive Inc. in Springfield, said the damage is usually superficial.
"It's all cosmetic or very light structural damage," said McCallister, who has estimated damage from at least 10 deer hit in the last two weeks.
Most of the damage is on the front end, McCallister said.
"But they hit everywhere," he added. "They'll run into the sides of cars. I've replaced lots of doors and rear quarter panels, where the front is untouched."
Don Melton, owner of Barkers' Frame and Collision in Springfield, said a single deer can hit a vehicle two or three times.
"A lot of times when they hit the front end, the deer will swing around and hit the side of the car," said Melton, who hit a deer himself a couple of years ago. "It can do some pretty good damage. We've got a truck in here right now that was $4,700."
For insurance purposes, it may be better to hit a deer than to damage your auto avoiding one.
"If you run into a deer, that's a comprehensive claim, and your insurance company does not charge you for it, minus your deductible," said Jim Enyart, an agent for Ollis and Company Insurance in Springfield.
"If you swerve and miss the deer, and run off the road or hit a car, that becomes a collision, and your insurance company can increase your premium because of that."
It's not necessary to contact law enforcement after a deer is hit, Enyart said, unless there is extensive damage or human injuries.
One need not fret over the fate of the deer, Skalicky said.
"If it runs off, don't worry about it. It will either heal up or become food for another wild animal."
But if it's dead, you can keep it, he said: "The driver is entitled to it. You just need to come by our office and fill out a form."
As for the doe Lindsey hit Tuesday, it disappeared into the woods soon after the collision, much to Lindsey's chagrin.
"It killed my trike. I'd like to have been eating steaks off it tonight."
Contact Jenny Fillmer at jfillmer@News-Leader.com.
