According to the Federal Highway Administration, there are about 2.1 million deer-vehicle collisions in the U.S. every year, resulting in 2,054 human injuries, 33 human fatalities, and $1.19 billion in damages. Other studies indicate that 150 to 200 people die in vehicle-deer collisions annually. Deer populations have been growing while continuing to be displaced by urban sprawl, which is leading to more accidents each year. In Washington State alone, the data indicates that there are a minimum of 5,000 collisions with deer and 200 collisions with elk each year. Now, a new study shows that the week after the end of daylight saving time correlates with a 16% increase in deer-vehicle collisions.
A car accident involving a deer, elk or moose can be traumatizing and cause extreme personal injury and damage to your vehicle. In some cases, it is even responsible for a fatality. Clearly, the deer cannot be sued but occasionally another party is responsible for the collision and could be sued for damages. Contact a car accident lawyer if you believe that another party may have been responsible for your deer-vehicle collision.
Study Shows End of Daylight Saving Time Causes 16% Increase in Deer-Vehicle Collisions
A recent Current Biology study shared on cell.com that examined about 1 million deer-vehicle accidents between 1994 and 2021, concluded that permanent daylight saving time would reduce deer-vehicle collisions by about 1.7 percent. Conversely, a permanent move to standard time would increase crashes with deer by 3.5 percent. When we switch back to standard time each fall, there is an abrupt increase in nighttime driving during the peak breeding season for deer. The study found that this switch causes a 16% increase in collisions between deer and vehicles in the seven days after the time change. Cunningham et al. go on to show that permanent daylight saving time would prevent 36,550 collisions between vehicles and deer and $1.2 billion in collision costs annually in the US.
Late October through November tend to have the highest number of deer vs. vehicle crashes due to less sunlight and less visibility for drivers combined with mating season for deer. (While deer are in mating season, they are on the move more often, increasing the chances of running across a roadway where they could be hit by a vehicle). With 76 percent of deer-vehicle collisions happening at nighttime, it isn’t hard to understand why an increase in darkness during rush hour traffic would correlate to more accidents with wildlife.
Will Washington State move to permanent daylight saving time?
There has been a lot of talk of ending the switching back and forth between standard time and daylight savings time and sticking with one or the other permanently but that isn’t likely to happen in Washington State anytime soon. Washington State legislators would like to switch to permanent daylight savings time but that requires approval by the federal government. While the U.S. Senate approved a bill called the Sunshine Protection Act to make daylight saving time permanent in March, 2022, the House of Representatives has not signed off on the bill and President Biden has not publicly stated whether he would sign it into law should the house pass it.
Seek the help of a car accident lawyer
If you or a loved one was injured in a collision because of the negligence of another, contact a personal injury lawyer to discuss your legal rights. Let an experienced car accident attorney fight for the full compensation that you deserve. It is not uncommon to receive a settlement from the insurance company that is five to ten times larger with the help of a lawyer. Call the personal injury lawyers at Tario & Associates, P.S. in Bellingham, WA today for a FREE consultation! We have been representing residents of Whatcom County, Skagit County, Island County and Snohomish County since 1979. You will pay nothing up front and no attorney fees at all unless we recover damages for you!
