Be alert and extra careful when traveling on the roads during the coming holidays and until the end of the year. Insurance experts warn that now is prime time for collisions with a deer.

There is “a dramatic increase in deer population movement” during the deer season, which typically runs from October to December, says The Insurance Institute for Road Safety. “More deer-vehicle collisions occur during this period than any other time of the year.”

From 1975 through 2007, there was a general upward trend in deaths from collisions with animals, but that trend has leveled off, the insurance institute says. In 2022, 184 motorists died in collisions with an animal, compared to 223 in 2007, according to the insurance agency.

Texas had the highest number of deaths from collisions with animals from 2013-2022, the institute found in a report last year. “The figures reflect the size of the driver population, the size of the animal population and the proportion of country roads,” the institute said.

Based on its insurance claims data, State Farm estimates the odds of U.S. drivers hitting an animal this year is 1 in 128, down slightly from 1 in 127 last year.

Drivers in West Virginia have the highest probability of hitting an animal, with odds of 1 in 40, State Farm says. For more than a decade, West Virginia has been the most dangerous state for motorists who hit an animal.

Montana is currently the second riskiest at 1 in 54 odds, State Farm says. Rounding out the five riskiest states are Michigan (1 in 59), Pennsylvania (1 in 61) and Wisconsin (1 in 63).

State Farm, the largest auto insurer in the U.S., estimates that more than 1.8 million auto insurance claims involving animal collisions were filed across the industry from July 2023 to June 2024. That number is down from 1.9 million in the previous 12 months period.

Pennsylvania led all states in the most insurance claims filed for hitting an animal, State Farm said. Michigan was second, followed, in order, by North Carolina, Texas and Ohio.

AAA offers various tips for avoiding a deer collision or dealing with one if it does occur.

Drivers should obey speed limit and deer crossing signs and be especially alert for deer at dawn and dusk, when they are most active, AAA says. If a deer is seen crossing or standing next to a road, slow down, as deer can be very unpredictable and often travel in herds.

Flashing high beams or honking won’t keep deer off the road, AAA says. However, State Farm says flicking the high beam can cause an animal to run away.

If a collision with a deer cannot be avoided, do not swerve the vehicle and minimize impact by braking properly, AAA advises. Hold the wheel, stay in your lane and bring the vehicle to a controlled stop. Then pull off the road and turn on your hazard lights. Do not attempt to remove the deer from the roadway, as it may be alive and its hooves or antlers may injure you. Finally, report the crash to the police and your insurance company, says AAA.