COLUMBUS — Ohio Department of Insurance Director Jillian Froment and Ohio State Highway Patrol Superintendent Colonel Paul Pride are urging Ohioans to drive with caution in November, the leading month for deer-vehicle crashes in the state.
“Staying alert and avoiding distractions while driving are always important,” Froment said. “It’s also important to review and make sure you have the insurance coverage you need to help protect your family and other drivers on the road.”
Last November there were nearly 4,000 deer-related crashes on the state’s roadways, according to the Ohio Department of Public Safety. In total, people were involved in more than 18,400 deer-related crashes in 2017. The most incidents occurred in Stark (501), Richland (450), Clermont (444), Trumbull (435), Hamilton (418), Lorain (405), Hancock (405), Allen (391), Wood (385), and Tuscarawas (377) Counties with high collision counts in most of the other Ohio counties.
“Driving requires your full attention,” Colonel Pride said. “If you see a deer in the roadway slow down but do not swerve. If you strike a deer, move to a safe place, turn on your hazard lights and report the accident.”
Deer are most active at dawn and dusk, and to help keep safe scan the road and shoulders ahead of you. Use high beams when there is no oncoming traffic.
Ohioans should review their insurance. The comprehensive coverage (also known as “other than collision” coverage) portion of an auto insurance policy often is used to pay for deer-vehicle damage repair. A liability-only policy does not cover the damage. Be certain to photograph or video any damage to support an insurance claim.
More safe driving tips are available at www.publicsafety.ohio.gov. Insurance information is located at www.insurance.ohio.gov and you can call the Ohio Department of Insurance at 1-800-686-1526 with any questions.
