REPORT Deer accidents increase 4.7% in Ohio for '03

COLUMBUS (AP) -- Collisions involving deer increased 4.7 percent last year in Ohio, for total insured losses of about $63.5 million for 2003, the Ohio Insurance Institute reported Monday.
The 31,729 collisions included seven deaths and 989 injuries, up from five fatalities and 898 injuries from 30,306 crashes in 2002. The institute collaborated with the Department of Natural Resources and Ohio State Highway Patrol on the report.
The numbers are high in part because Ohio typically is among the states with the most registered vehicles, with 12 million last year, licensed drivers and miles driven. Ohio has about 700,000 deer, up slightly from last year.
The top five counties for deer-vehicle collisions haven't changed since 2001: Hamilton, Richland, Muskingum, Summit and Knox. The counties with the fewest collisions last year were Monroe, Champaign, Pike, Hocking and Putnam.
Most accidents occur between October and December during breeding season, and more than half take place between 5 p.m. and midnight. Damage averages about $2,000 per claim, the institute said, and a deer accident should not increase an insured driver's future premiums.