If you’ve driven Route 322 along the river at dusk, wound through the farm roads outside Hummelstown, or commuted on I-81 past the edge of Blue Mountain this month, you’ve probably already had at least one heart-stopping “there’s a deer!” moment. You’re not imagining it. Right now is the busiest time of year for deer on Pennsylvania roads, and our state is one of the riskiest places in the country to drive during it.
Here’s why this season is so risky, how to lower your odds, what to do if it happens anyway, and how your auto insurance typically comes into play.
Pennsylvania Is Deer Country (and the Numbers Show It)
According to aa recent animal-collision study (July 2025 through June 2026), Pennsylvania drivers have about a 1 in 64 chance of an animal-collision claim. That ranks 4th in the nation and is more than twice the national rate of 1 in 145. Pennsylvania also had the most estimated animal-collision insurance claims of any state, roughly 141,000. Deer are by far the animal most often hit.
PennDOT counted 6,310 deer-related crashes statewide in 2025, with 90 serious injuries and 11 deaths. So this is about safety as much as dented bumpers.
Why October Through December Is Peak Season
Nationally, November, October, and December are the months drivers are most likely to hit a large animal. A few things are happening at once:
- It’s breeding season, the “rut.” The Pennsylvania Game Commission notes that young bucks travel long distances looking for new territory, and adult bucks are on the move chasing does. Deer get bolder and pay less attention to traffic.
- The clocks change. Daylight saving time ends and overnight, a lot of evening commutes shift into dusk and darkness, which is exactly when deer are most active.
- Fields and woods are busy. Crops are being harvested and hunters and hikers are out, so deer get pushed across roads more often.
Practical Tips to Avoid a Deer Collision
You can’t control the deer, but you can control how you drive. These tips come from PennDOT, the Game Commission, and insurance-industry safety experts:
- Slow down where deer crossing signs are posted, and anywhere woods meet fields. That describes a lot of the back roads in Dauphin, Cumberland, Perry, and Lebanon counties.
- Be extra alert from sunset to sunrise. That’s when deer are most active, and it’s also when you can see the least.
- Where one deer crosses, more usually follow. Deer often travel in small groups and walk single file. If one crosses, slow down and expect another.
- Use your high beams when there’s no oncoming traffic. They help you spot the shine of deer eyes sooner.
- Brake firmly and stay in your lane. Don’t swerve. Many of the worst crashes happen when a driver swerves into oncoming traffic, a guardrail, or a tree. Hitting the deer is often safer than what you’d hit while swerving.
- Buckle up, every trip. And talk with new or teen drivers about deer season before they head out.
What to Do If You Hit a Deer
Even careful drivers hit deer sometimes. If it happens:
- Get to a safe spot. Pull onto the shoulder if you can and turn on your hazard lights.
- Leave the deer alone. An injured deer can hurt you badly. If it’s blocking traffic or creating a hazard, call the police.
- Know when to call police. Pennsylvania State Police say you’re required to contact police if anyone is hurt or killed, or if your vehicle is too damaged to drive away. When in doubt, call 911.
- Take photos of your car, the road, and the surroundings once it’s safe.
- Check your car before you drive. Look for leaking fluids, broken lights, damaged tires, or a loose hood. If you’re unsure, call a tow.
- Report a dead deer on a state road to PennDOT at 1-800-FIX-ROAD.
- Want to keep the deer? You don’t have to report the crash to the Game Commission. However, Pennsylvania residents who want to keep a road-killed deer must call 1-833-PGC-HUNT or 1-833-PGC-WILD within 24 hours to get a free permit number.
- Call your insurance company or agent to report the damage.
How Auto Insurance Typically Handles Deer Damage
Every policy is different, but here’s how it generally works:
- Comprehensive coverage (sometimes called “other than collision”) is what typically pays for damage when your car actually hits a deer or other animal. You’ll usually pay your comprehensive deductible first.
- Collision coverage typically comes into play if you swerve to miss the deer and hit a guardrail, a tree, or another car instead. That’s usually treated as a collision claim, which often has a higher deductible and may be handled differently by your insurer.
- Liability-only policies typically don’t pay to fix your car at all. If you dropped comprehensive and collision on an older vehicle, a deer strike may come entirely out of your pocket.
- Injuries to you and your passengers are typically handled first through Pennsylvania’s first party benefits (medical benefits). Learn more in our post on first party benefits in Pennsylvania.
- Extras like rental reimbursement and towing/roadside coverage can make a big difference while your car is in the shop.
Whether a deer claim affects your future premium depends on your insurance company and the details of the crash, so it’s worth asking before assuming either way – but generally speaking, a deer hit claim usually does not increase premiums.
A Quick Coverage Check Before the Rut Peaks
Take five minutes this week to look at your auto policy’s declarations page and ask yourself:
- Do I have comprehensive coverage on every vehicle, including the older one?
- Is my comprehensive deductible an amount I could comfortably pay tomorrow?
- Do I have rental reimbursement and towing?
- Are my medical benefits high enough for my family?
Let’s Make Sure You’re Covered
At Looker, Wolfe & Gephart, we’re your neighbors. We drive the same roads you do, from Linglestown to Mechanicsburg to Hershey, and we know how common deer claims are around here. As an independent agency, we can review your current coverage, explain it in plain English, and compare options from multiple insurance companies if something needs to change.
Call us or text us at (717) 657-9944, email agents@lwginsurance.com, or stop by 44 Oak Park Rd in Harrisburg for a free, no-pressure coverage review before deer season hits its peak. Stay alert out there, and drive safe!
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This article is for general information only and isn’t insurance, legal, or financial advice. Coverage depends on your specific policy, insurance company, and circumstances, so check your policy or contact us with questions.