Avoid Hitting Deer for Affordable Auto Insurance

You may have noticed more deer along the roads in your area. While they are beautiful animals, they can also be dangerous. In fact, accidents involving deer are more frequent during the deer migration and mating season in the fall, which runs from October through December. A recent study by a major insurance company found that the number of collisions motorists have had with deer has increased ten times over the past five years. However, the number of miles driven rose only 2 percent during the same time period. Growing deer populations and urban sprawl have contributed to more deer being on the roads. Make sure you ask for enough coverage, when you apply for auto insurance rates.

The insurance company’s study also found that the average property damage cost of a collision with a deer was $3,103, up 1.7 percent from a year ago. Not only are these accidents costly, but also deadly. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, deer-vehicle collisions are responsible for about 200 fatalities every year. Make sure you have enough insurance to protect your family, when you obtain auto insurance rates.

Driving defensively is always a good way to prevent accidents. Here are a few more steps you can take to avoid hitting deer and having your insurance rates increase:

• Drive cautiously in areas known to have large deer populations and in areas where roads go through woods or farm land.
• Use high beam headlights at night when there is no oncoming traffic. The high beams will better illuminate the eyes of deer on or near the roadway.
• Pay more attention from sunset to midnight and during the hours shortly before and after sunrise. These are the highest risk times for deer-vehicle collisions.
• Brake when you notice a deer in or near your path, but stay in your lane. Don’t swerve into another lane to avoid a deer. You may lose control of your car or hit a vehicle in the other lane.

Once you have done your research, you are ready to shop around for lower auto insurance rates. You can call agents in your local area, contact insurance companies directly or use InsuranceQuotes.com to instantly get competitive auto insurance quotes from the nation’s leading insurance providers. Simply fill out an online form on InsuranceQuotes.com to find the right insurance coverage at the best possible price. Take the time to protect you and your family today.