As the days get shorter and weather gets cooler, the breeding season for deer is in full swing. Commonly referred to as the “rut,” this time of year marks the distinct period when deer-vehicle collisions are most frequent. Male white-tailed deer will begin a nearly month-long quest for suitable mates, stopping for very little, including vehicles.
In Virginia, according to 2021 data from DMV, deer-related crashes spiked in the fall during October, November and December. Those crashes peaked in November with nearly one-quarter of all deer-related crashes during all of 2021 happening in that month alone. Overall, deer-related crashes in Virginia in were up 9% last year compared to 2020.
Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles Deer-Related
Crash Data 2021
| Month | Crashes | Fatalities | Injuries |
| January | 363 | 0 | 25 |
| February | 230 | 0 | 16 |
| March | 250 | 0 | 25 |
| April | 276 | 0 | 16 |
| May | 358 | 0 | 34 |
| June | 457 | 0 | 53 |
| July | 299 | 0 | 43 |
| August | 216 | 0 | 37 |
| September | 259 | 0 | 29 |
| October | 1,049 | 0 | 87 |
| November | 1,315 | 0 | 103 |
| December | 649 | 1 | 42 |
| Totals | 5,721 | 1 | 510 |
Animal-vehicle collisions can be costly and dangerous – and deer are involved in more collisions than any other animal. The United States Department of Transportation estimates there are 1-2 million collisions between vehicles and large animals such as deer every year, resulting in 200 human deaths, tens of thousands of injuries, and more than $8 billion in vehicle damages. The average cost of an animal strike claim in Virginia in 2021 was $4,800 according to AAA Insurance.