Deer crashes are down 30 percent in Washington County over the past three years, but don't mention that to Kelly Sayre, who had the misfortune of clipping a buck with her Toyota over the weekend.
"I kinda thought it would just be a matter of time (before I hit one)," said Sayre, 33, of Marietta. "I've had a lot of close calls. One finally got me."
Sayre said the damage to her car was pretty minimal. The animal ran off, seemingly uninjured, she said.
"I was on my way to my mom's house in Reno and he just ran right out in front of me," she said. "I slammed on my brakes, but it was too late."
The collision cracked a headlight and put a small dent in a fender.
"It could have been worse," Sayre said.
Deer crashes in Washington County have decreased from 286 in 2005 to 200 last year. Totals for this year to date were not immediately available. Most deer crashes are generally reported in November, when the animals are looking to mate and on the move.
This year's deer crashes could be higher because the deer herd appears to have grown. State wildlife officials estimate Ohio's current deer population at 700,000, up from its 2007 herd estimate of 675,000. Ohio deer densities tend to be heavier in the east-central and southeast parts of the state.
Many, but certainly not all, deer crashes are avoidable, said Ohio Highway Patrol Sgt. Todd McDonald.
"A lot of them could be avoided by just slowing down and being a little more alert," McDonald said. "The biggest problem is when people swerve to avoid striking a deer they often lose control and end up making matters worse."
McDonald said deer crashes are most common during around sunrise and sunset, when the animals seem to be most active and traffic is usually busy.
According to a study by the Ohio Insurance Institute, about 1 in 115 Ohio residents will have a crash involving a deer each year. The average damage from a deer crash is about $3,000.
Damages in Ohio last year from deer crashes were approximately $79 million, from 26,304 deer-vehicle collisions, according to the Ohio Insurance Institute.
