By Jay Stephenson
Valley City Times-Record

Vehicles in North Dakota are the ninth most likely to collide with a deer, according to a national insurance agency.
Using deer claims data from the Federal Highway Administration, State Farm estimates that the chances of a North Dakota vehicle colliding with a deer over the next 12 months at one in 125.
 The report also notes that collisions are more frequent during deer migration and mating season in the months of October, November, and December.
For Barnes County, deer collision is a year round problem, according to Mike Prosby, of Prosby Body Shop.
“I get cars hit by deer in here all the time, all year round,” Prosby said.   “It will get a little worse for a while as soon as they get in the corn rut because they can hide and then jump out in the open, but I mostly see them year round.”
Prosby says damage from deer collision can run anywhere from $1,500 to $4,000.
“There’s really no cheap one,” he says.  “If you barely hit them then its not bad, but it doesn’t take much to have a $2,000 to $2,500 bill.”
State Farm’s study reports that the average national cost from deer collisions is $2,900, up  three percent from a year ago.  They advise drivers to be aware of posted deer crossing signs; remember that deer are most active between 6 and 9 p.m.; use high beam headlights; remember deer travel in herds, so if there is one then more could follow; and swerving out of the way could cause a driver to lose control of the vehicle.“Where there are trees is probably the most likely place deer can jump out,” said Mark Peterson, Chief Deputy for the Barnes County Sheriff Department.  “But there’s really no particular hot spot, although deer crossing signs is something to watch out for.”
Peterson says most deer collisions avoid serious injuries other than motorcycles, which pose the greatest danger.
For Mike Prosby, while saying he doesn’t wish for anyone to get in an accident with a deer, damage to vehicles from collision is not always a bad thing.
“I think it’s good for the economy,” Prosby said jokingly.  “I get money out of it, and I in turn spend that money back into the community.”