Avoid Deer-Vehicle Collisions With These Tips

November is not only a popular month for deer hunting, it's also the month drivers are most likely to hit deer, according to a recent survey from State Farm Insurance. 

About 8 in every 1,000 South Carolina drivers hit a deer last year, according to the study.

Deer-related collisions are on the rise nationally, according to State Farm. They jumped 7.7 percent over the last year. 

The average cost for property damage caused by the collisions was more than $3,300, according to the insurance company.

But State Farm and The Humane Society of the United States have some tips to help drivers avoid a run-in with deer on the road. 

The Humane Society named next week 'Give Wildlife a Brake' Week, reminding drivers that the first step in avoiding the collisions is to slow down. 

Tips from The Human Society include: 

• Follow speed limits. Many animals are hit simply because people drive too fast to avoid them. This makes the roads safer for other drivers and pedestrians, too.
• Watch for wildlife in and near the road at dawn, dusk, and in the first few hours after darkness. Keep in mind that where there is one animal, there are probably others—young animals following their mother or male animals pursuing a female.
• Be especially cautious on two-lane roads bordered by woods or fields, or where streams cross under roads. Most animal/vehicle collisions occur on these roads. Slow down to 45 mph or less.
• Scan the road as you drive, watching the edges for wildlife about to cross. This will also make you more aware of other hazards such as bicyclists, children at play, and slowly moving vehicles. 
• Don’t throw trash out car windows. Discarded food pollutes the environment and creates a hazard by attracting wildlife to the roads. 
• Use your high beams whenever possible.
• Lower your dashboard lights slightly. You'll be more likely to see your headlights reflected in the eyes of animals in time to brake.

State Farm offers these tips: 

• Be aware of posted deer crossing signs. These are placed in active deer crossing areas.
• Remember that deer are most active between 6 and 9 p.m.
• Use high beam headlamps as much as possible at night to illuminate the areas from whichdeer will enter roadways.
• If a deer collision seems inevitable, attempting to swerve out of the way could cause you to lose control of your vehicle or place you in the path of an oncoming vehicle.
• Don’t rely on car-mounted deer whistles. 

Deer aren't the only animals you're liable to collide with. Regardless of what animal you might strike on the road, here are some extra tips on how to handle it:

How to Help Injured Animals:

• Do not put your own safety at risk. Unless you can move the animal from the road in absolute safety, do not attempt to do so. Use your hazard lights or emergency road flares to warn oncoming traffic of the injured animal. Never attempt to handle a large animal, like a deer, or one that could give a serious bite, like a raccoon.
• Call someone with the proper training and equipment. When you need assistance, call the non-emergency number of the local police department (program the phone number into your cell phone right now so you have it when you need it) and describe the animal's location. Emphasize that the injured animal is a traffic hazard to help ensure that someone will come quickly. Stay in the area until help arrives.
• Use heavy gloves to protect yourself or avoid direct handling if you try to rescue a small animal yourself. Remember that the animal doesn't know you are trying to help and may bite or scratch in self-defense. An old towel is helpful if you need to move an injured animal.
• Gently coax or place the animal into a cardboard box and transport him/her to an animal shelter, wildlife rehabilitator, or a receptive veterinarian. If there is a delay, keep the animal in a dark, warm, quiet place to minimize fear and stress.
• If you accidentally kill an animal, try to move the animal off the road—but only if you can do so in complete safety. Otherwise, report the location of the animal's body to the local police department, and it will arrange for removal. This will prevent scavengers from being attracted onto the road and eliminate a potential traffic hazard.