2 states hot spots for deer wrecks

 Iowa and Nebraska remain two of the top dozen states at risk of drivers hitting a deer, according to an annual insurance study released Tuesday.
State Farm Mutual Insurance Co. estimated that there were more than 40,000 car-deer accidents in Iowa and Nebraska combined in the 12-month period ending June 30.
While several states had more accidents — Pennsylvania drivers were in more than 100,000 deer-car collisions — State Farm calculated that Iowa drivers had the second-highest likelihood of hitting a deer this year, based on the past year's estimated accidents and the number of licensed drivers.
State Farm projected that one in 77 Iowa drivers will hit a deer this year.
In Nebraska, one driver in 1

10 is likely to hit a deer this year based on the data. The national projection is that one in 193 drivers is likely to strike a deer.
The average cost to repair a vehicle after a deer collision was $3,171, up about 2 percent from last year.
"Our goal is to make our customers and others more attentive to this problem," said Dick Luedke, State Farm spokesman.
Car-deer accidents are more frequent during the end of October and all of November, because this time is their mating season, said Kit Hams, the big game program

manager for the Nebraska Game and Parks Department.
Nationally, deer-car accidents have declined, but Nebraska accidents increased by 1 percent.
Nebraska and Iowa games officials said the deer population has been declining due to increased herd reduction efforts.

By Sam Womack