Post Date July 21, 2014 – Although West Virginia is known as The Mountain State, it also holds the distinction of having the highest rate for deer auto collisions. This means that when you are driving the streets and highways of West Virginia,  auto deer collisions are consistently higher than any other state in the United States.

For the last 7 years,  West Virginia holds this distinction based on the data collected on the number of Deer Auto Collisions insurance claims data compiled by State Farm Insurance Company.  Based on the State Farm report, deer-auto collisions in The Mountain State are 1-in-48. Deer Auto Collisions in the rest of the United States is 1-in-183.  What is more surprising is that collision and comprehensive auto insurance claims involving deer-related claims have increased in  the past four years, compared to the other type of claims including weather, fire, vandalism, etc.

Aside from West Virginia, other states have also showed an increase of the rate for chances of deer auto collisions. 

A spokesman for State Farm recently stated, “I think it’s interesting that, in the context of those other types of claims, deer claims are increasing”.  The spokesman also said that the trend of lowering accidents does not apply to deer auto collisions.  Aside from West Virginia, other states have also showed an increase of the rate for chances of deer auto collisions. These states are South Dakota, Iowa, Michigan and InsureDirect.com’s home state Pennsylvania.  Although Pennsylvania and Ohio are simular, the state of Ohio’s deer auto collisions dropped by a little over 2% in 2012 over the previous year – 2011. Michigan reported a 4 % drop on its number of deer-auto crashes. The Michigan Deer Crash Coalition had reported earlier that the deer-related crashes have resulted to 1,464 people injured, and eight dead in 2013.