Kentucky State Police: Deer / Automobile Collisions

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Deer / Automobile Collisions in Kentucky

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Images of Deer in Field Believe it or not, when it comes to our worst enemy in the animal kingdom, sharks, alligators, snakes and other commonly feared animals need not apply. In fact, none of the "terrifying" animals portrayed as "killers" in our culture are responsible for the most human deaths.

The animals that claim the largest number of lives in the United States are deer. Statistics provided by the United States Department of Transportation indicate that car accidents involving deer on roads cost nearly 100 human lives and millions of dollars in insurance claims each year. The average deer / automobile collision results in approximately $2,000 per claim nationally.

While the percentage of deer collisions resulting in a fatality is relatively low in Kentucky as compared to the nation, it is extremely important to recognize this ever-present risk, especially at this time of year when nearly 50 percent of all collisions with deer occur.

On this page, you can view the following information:

Annual Deer / Auto Collisions

Updated 09/07/07

There has been a slight downward trend in deer / auto collisions over the last four years in Kentucky.

Year	Number of Deer Collisions	Fatalities	Injured
2002	3,322	3	243
2003	3,144	2	198
2004	3,067	3	213
2005	2,843	1	215
2006	2,928	1	180

(Source: KSP CRASH)

Chart of Collisions with Deer 2000-2004

Deer / Auto Collisions by Month

October, November, and December months see a huge increase in deer activity because of the run of mating season. Nearly 48% of all collisions with deer annually take place during this three-month period. The following shows an average number of collisions in the Commonwealth per month over the past five-year period. November is by far the month of highest deer / auto collision incidence.

Month	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	Total	Average
January	231	167	180	243	195	1,016	203
February	195	136	173	190	146	840	168
March	198	191	162	167	186	904	181
April	167	228	183	144	170	892	178
May	277	223	184	193	220	1,097	219
June	240	271	188	201	212	1,112	222
July	177	176	154	133	145	785	157
August	143	100	119	95	108	565	113
September	150	152	186	111	145	744	149
October	406	467	393	401	370	2,037	407
November	848	767	825	713	692	3,845	769
December	290	266	320	252	339	1,467	293

Chart of Collisions with Deer 2002-2006

High Detail Kentucky Deer Collision Map

Updated 09/07/07

This map shows concentrations of reported deer collisions over a five-year period in the month of November.

Click here or on the image thumbnail
for a high resolution deer collision
map in Adobe pdf format.

Deer Collisions by County - Total Percentage

The map below shows an average number of deer / auto collisions for each county over the past five years.

Check here to see a larger map (File size 2.13 MB, print size 34X44 inches, Adobe Acrobat Reader is Required)

County	Five Year Total	Annual Average
ADAIR	127	25
ALLEN	119	24
ANDERSON	83	17
BALLARD	39	8
BARREN	300	60
BATH	64	13
BELL	67	13
BOONE	669	134
BOURBON	45	9
BOYD	262	52
BOYLE	60	12
BRACKEN	75	15
BREATHITT	33	7
BRECKINRIDGE	64	13
BULLITT	82	16
BUTLER	28	6
CALDWELL	70	14
CALLOWAY	148	30
CAMPBELL	456	91
CARLISLE	21	4
CARROLL	110	22
CARTER	119	24
CASEY	23	5
CHRISTIAN	266	53
CLARK	64	13
CLAY	42	8
CLINTON	42	8
CRITTENDEN	47	9
CUMBERLAND	18	4
DAVIESS	258	52
EDMONSON	49	10
ELLIOTT	55	11
ESTILL	30	6
FAYETTE	117	23
FLEMING	48	10
FLOYD	146	29
FRANKLIN	388	78
FULTON	34	7
GALLATIN	37	7
GARRARD	29	6
GRANT	232	46
GRAVES	223	46
GRAYSON	175	35
GREEN	29	6
GREENUP	146	29
HANCOCK	75	15
HARDIN	349	70
HARLAN	38	8
HARRISON	130	26
HART	99	20
HENDERSON	440	88
HENRY	124	25
HICKMAN	29	6
HOPKINS	621	124
JACKSON	38	8
JEFFERSON	434	87
JESSAMINE	68	14
JOHNSON	69	14
KENTON	416	83
KNOTT	61	12
KNOX	134	27
LARUE	71	14
LAUREL	159	32
LAWRENCE	34	7
LEE	8	2
LESLIE	21	4
LETCHER	17	3
LEWIS	66	13
LINCOLN	66	13
LIVINGSTON	120	24
LOGAN	240	48
LYON	158	32
MADISON	156	31
MAGOFFIN	47	9
MARION	54	11
MARSHALL	343	69
MARTIN	19	4
MASON	207	41
MCCRACKEN	341	68
MCCREARY	42	8
MCLEAN	73	15
MEADE	169	34
MENIFEE	30	6
MERCER	73	15
METCALFE	89	18
MONROE	11	2
MONTGOMERY	54	11
MORGAN	91	18
MUHLENBERG	332	66
NELSON	222	44
NICHOLAS	31	6
OHIO	203	41
OLDHAM	256	51
OWEN	38	8
OWSLEY	19	4
PENDLETON	153	31
PERRY	33	7
PIKE	84	17
POWELL	54	11
PULASKI	172	34
ROBERTSON	8	2
ROCKCASTLE	68	14
ROWAN	250	50
RUSSELL	87	17
SCOTT	176	35
SHELBY	292	58
SIMPSON	82	16
SPENCER	54	11
TAYLOR	173	35
TODD	64	13
TRIGG	170	34
TRIMBLE	65	13
UNION	90	18
WARREN	305	61
WASHINGTON	43	9
WAYNE	36	7
WEBSTER	124	25
WHITLEY	51	10
WOLFE	64	16
WOODFORD	82	16

(Source: KSP CRASH)

Deer / Auto Collisions by Time of the Day for November

An image of the Deer/Auto Collisions for the month of November 2000-2004

Time of Day	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	Average	Percent of Total
12:00 PM - 12:59PM	6	6	6	5	14	7.4	0.96%
1:00 PM - 1:59PM	6	13	7	6	6	7.6	0.99%
2:00 PM - 2:59 PM	8	9	7	6	6	7.2	0.94%
3:00 PM - 3:59 PM	7	7	8	7	6	7	0.91%
4:00 PM - 4:59 PM	24	29	22	14	19	21.6	2.81%
5:00 PM - 5:59 PM	99	79	94	77	74	84.6	11.00%
6:00 PM - 6:59 PM	142	121	123	111	114	122.2	15.89%
7:00 PM - 7:59 PM	87	74	83	79	78	80.2	10.43%
8:00 PM - 8:59 PM	55	56	60	61	49	56.2	7.31%
9:00 PM - 9:59 PM	60	50	60	61	49	56.2	6.63%
10:00 PM - 10:59 PM	45	55	43	32	35	42	5.46%
11:00 PM - 11:59 PM	38	38	37	29	38	36	4.68%
12:00 AM - 00:59 AM	24	22	27	23	22	23.6	3.07%
1:00 AM - 1:59 AM	18	14	17	15	14	15.6	2.03%
2:00 AM - 2:59 AM	17	14	20	7	12	14	1.82%
3:00 AM - 3:59 AM	19	16	10	12	16	14.6	1.90%
4:00 AM - 4:59 AM	22	24	15	6	17	16.8	2.19%
5:00 AM - 5:59 AM	26	29	34	27	21	27.4	3.56%
6:00 AM - 6:59 AM	59	42	56	61	40	51.6	6.71%
7:00 AM - 7:59 AM	38	26	46	33	40	36.6	4.76%
8:00 AM - 8:59 AM	22	20	19	13	7	16.2	2.11%
9:00 AM - 9:59 AM	10	10	14	11	7	10.4	1.35%
10:00 AM - 10:59 AM	8	9	7	21	9	10.8	1.40%
11:00 AM - 11:59 AM	9	9	11	4	8	8.2	1.07%

(Source: KSP CRASH)

Defensive Driving Tips to avoid hitting a deer

Keep a close watch for deer in the early morning and evening hours. Deer are most active during these times.
Be especially alert and drive with caution when you are moving through a known deer crossing zone.
Use your high-beam headlights whenever possible.
Upon seeing a deer, immediately slow down. Do not swerve - because this can confuse deer as to where to run. It could also cause you to lose control and hit a tree or another car.
Look for other deer after one has crossed the road. Deer are often found in herding packs.
Always wear your seatbelt. Most people injured and/or killed in deer - automobile collisions were not wearing their seat belt.

What to do when you Strike a Deer

If you are unable to avoid a collision with a deer, take the following steps:

Do not touch the animal! The deer, in attempting to move or get away, could hurt you or itself.
Remove your automobile from the roadway, if possible.
Call the police.

Kentucky State Police Headquarters
919 Versailles Road
Frankfort, KY 40601
502-695-6300