Deer-vehicle collisions are highest in W.Va.

PARKERSBURG - Insurance industry studies show West Virginia leads the nation in deer-related vehicle collisions while a new study from the state, compiling data from a number of companies, concludes Wood County leads the state in the highest cost of deer-vehicle claims in West Virginia.

According to a study from the West Virginia Insurance Commissioners office, Wood County results in an estimated $2.295 million in annual claims related to deer-vehicle accidents. The commissioner's office collected data from six insurance companies, representing more than 58 percent of the auto coverage market in West Virginia.

Wood County's claims are about $250,000 more than Kanawha County.

Jackson County averages about $1.6 million in annual claims costs.

Pleasants, Doddridge and Gilmer counties are among the lowest. McDowell County was the lowest in the state at $176,241.

According to the report West Virginia drivers made 24,590 deer-related vehicle claims in 2007. The average cost of the claim was just under $2,000, totaling $42 million statewide.

The costs does not factor in; the cost of deductibles; any costs paid under collision coverage (missed the deer, and instead hit the guardrail); any costs paid due to injuries associated with deer-vehicle collisions or any costs where the automobile was not insured for physical damage coverage.

"The statewide loss estimates only consider amounts which are actually paid by insurance companies and are further limited to only those amounts that are paid under the comprehensive portion of auto physical damage insurance coverage," the report stated.

Erin Bailey, an official with State Farm Insurance, said many state drivers do not carry comprehensive coverage.

"Out of all the auto policies in West Virginia -which is 339,000 - there are 61,000 that do not carry comprehensive coverage. You have to select that," she said.

A recent nationwide study compiled by State Farm found West Virginia led the nation in the frequency of deer-related vehicle incidents. Drivers in West Virginia have a 1 in 45 chance of hitting a deer. Michigan was second with a 1 in 78 chance of a deer-vehicle collision. Ohioians have a 1 in 163 chance of deer incidents.

Bailey said her company had about 6,200 accidents claims statewide involving deer in 2007.

Wood County had the highest incidents of claims to State Farm with 355. Kanawha County was second with 305 claims. The commissioner's report showed Wood County had almost 100 more deer-vehicle crash incidents than second-place Kanawha County, 892 compared to 794.

Kanawha County has more than double the number of register vehicles (140,030) than Wood County, but reported less than 2,800 deer harvested in 2007, according to data from the Division of Natural Resources.

Aaron Baughman, an insurance market analyst with the commissioner's office, said Wood County's results may be due to high rate of deer and cars in the county.

"Wood County is in the highest band in terms of the 2007 cull (4,365 according to the DNR), compared to the other counties in that band, also has the highest number of registered vehicles," he said. "If the 2007 cull figures are at all representative of the relative deer population that exists by county, Wood County's results may simply be due to combination of the number of deer in the county and the number of cars in the county."

Member Comments

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Raserp
11-08-08 2:50 AM »Report Abuse	Well there are 24,590 less deer in WV and 355 less in wood county. I wonder how many of the 24,590 was some drunk hillbilly that thought he saw a deer and hit a stump lol. I was the insurance company I would want proof it was a deer that you hit or hit you. I mean crap when my cousin was hit by a deer it left its hide as proof. I say yes to letting them hunt longer but no to open season in the city. Same drunk hillbilly may shoot me thinking I was a moose.
Hobiedan
11-07-08 3:57 PM »Report Abuse	I am an Auto Claims Adjuster for a Major Insurance Company. This problem is WAY out of hand, Maybe if the Department of Transportation would take the cranage down to the DNR office and drop them off, well they are thier deer, they would see it differntly. The generation of kids coming up are NOT hunters. It will get worse. Also, I heard that Pennsylvania is introducing Elk into the State. Now we have a 1500 lb critter that is equally stupid as deer......
BluebirdWV
11-07-08 3:30 PM »Report Abuse	I agree it is not always just a matter of being careful. Just a few months ago my 22 yr old son left for work and not even barely out of the drive way, a deer jumped off of a bank directly into the passenger side door of his truck. It tore up his door, side panels, hood, antenna, etc. the damage was about $3500. There was not a single thing he could have done to prevent this from happening. Thank God his passenger side window was up or he would have had a deer in his lap. I agree that a longer hunting season could help this problem.
Ricotubbs
11-07-08 3:21 PM »Report Abuse	I drive up towards huntington for drilland i take the back roads through jackson County, you have never seen so many deer in your life.
MOVFan
11-07-08 2:52 PM »Report Abuse	Great points mzdarlene...there are those that would like to ban gun ownership because they are deadly weapons, but a motor vehicle is a deadly weapon too in the wrong hands. I would support a cell phone regulation to eliminate their use while driving but should we stop there?? As you mentioned drivers are distracted for various reasons ie makeup/fast food/radio/smoking/etc where does it end? Drivers need to pay attention it could be life threatening to the other guy!!!
mzdarlene
11-07-08 1:38 PM »Report Abuse	I agree with most of you. I would love to see a longer gun season. I do think people need to slow down and pay attention to the road and the surrounding area. My husband drives RT 21 to and from work daily. It's got a lot of deer traffic. He has come close to hitting a few but he was vigilant and prevented the accident. I can't tell you how many times we have SEEN vehicles hit deer and not even bother to stop and remove the animal from the road way along RT 21. This one animal will cause another accident. We have seen this also. It only takes a few seconds to call and report it. The State Police or Highway Patrol will come and move it when they have a few moments free. I've also seen courtesy patrol move them out of the road way. I get so irritated at stupid drivers so this being said. Slow the H-E-L-L down, pay attention (yes this means put the darn phone down, stop doing your makeup, dont read the paper while driving, and stop messing with the radio) and just drive.
ViennaMom
11-07-08 12:54 PM »Report Abuse	And another thing, if these Home Contractors would quit developing our wooded land, we would see less deer within urban limits!
ViennaMom
11-07-08 12:53 PM »Report Abuse	WV does not have a long enough deer season. They should follow Ohio's hunting season. Up the number allowed and lengthen the gun season and you will see a decrease in deer population!
yolarry
11-07-08 12:36 PM »Report Abuse	My dad hit 2 on the van this year and his g/f hit one with the jeep. We got too many deer in this state. Time to kill them all!
halfhill
11-07-08 12:28 PM »Report Abuse	Wood County and WVA should take advantage of this statistic--best hunting even if you are against guns!
tubaman
11-07-08 10:50 AM »Report Abuse	Oh my god. You can't say d-a-m-n in this thing? Sheesh.
tubaman
11-07-08 10:49 AM »Report Abuse	MissOlen, you are just naive. I expect that the only place you drive is to church on Sunday morning, to the grocery store on Saturday, and to the beauty parlor on Friday. It's not an issue of "driving carefully". You can be traveling the speed limit on dry pavement on Rt 47 or Rt 50, and the*****deer will just leap in front of you, coming out of the trees/bushes. "Driving carefully" does NOT solve the problem. Deer are among the dumbest animals alive. The only way to solve the problem is to drastically reduce the size of the deer population in this state. Additionally, urban hunts need to be the norm. As MOVFan states, the*****deer will just walk up to your property and devour everything in sight, with you standing right there.
MissOlen
11-07-08 8:46 AM »Report Abuse	It's called driving carefully. Everyone knows that deer are on the road specially on the rual roads. Who ever thought up the idea of an urban hunt needs to be spanked and sent to marietta to spend time with the sneaky brown nosers who come up with STUPID ideas like that.
MOVFan
11-07-08 8:30 AM »Report Abuse	Recently, I almost added to that statistic. I live in rural Wood County and know to expect the unexpected in my area as I can not travel after dark in my neighborhood and not see deer during my commute. This is obviously very annoying to other traffic because I maintain the speed limit or less trying to avoid any incidents. I no longer can have a garden/flowers/shrubbery etc because of the high deer population. Previously, deer have stood at my picture window and ate the flowers from the window box as I sat a few feet away on my couch. But on Wednesday evening while traveling on Fairview Avenue close to the Kroger entrance I had a deer dash across in front of me-not somewhere that I would think I should be watching for deer traffic. Although I have seen them in the area of Parkersburg Catholic before. But if you even mention an urban hunt, Sunday hunting or additional permits some in the community will jump stiff-legged. But everyone will continue paying the increased premiums.

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