Virginia is one of the nation's 10 most-dangerous states for drivers colliding with deer, according to an insurance company study released today.
One in every 137 drivers in Virginia is likely to hit a deer in the next 12 months, State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co. said.
West Virginia drivers lead the U.S. in collisions with deer for the third straight year, with one in every 39 drivers likely to collide with a deer.
Michigan ranked second, with odds of one in 78, according to State Farm claims data and motor vehicle registration counts from the Federal Highway Administration.
Virginia's figure put the state 10th on the State Farm list.
The state where deer-vehicle collisions are least likely is Hawaii, where one in every 9,931 drivers can expect such an incident.
Crashes reach their peak from October through December -- deer mating season -- and cause more than $1 billion in vehicle damage annually, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety said in a separate study. Urban sprawl and limits on hunting contribute to the increase, wildlife specialists said.
-- Staff And Wire Reports
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