As mating and hunting season kick off over the next few months, deer will be on the move more. For drivers, that means you’re more likely to encounter them − and potentially hit one − no matter how much driving you do.

Don’t fret. We’ve rounded up some information on how to avoid hitting a deer, plus what to do if you do, unfortunately, hit one despite your best efforts.

HOW TO AVOID HITTING A DEER

1. Know where the deer are likely to be. Areas with high deer populations are normally marked with a bright yellow sign. Deer also tend to graze in wooded areas or open fields. When driving your usual route to work, be attentive to areas where you’ve seen deer in the past – they are likely to cross there again.
2. Be alert at sunrise and sunset. Deer are more active during dawn and dusk hours.
3. Use your high beams. When possible, use your high beams for better visibility. The extra light will help make it easier to spot a deer, or other animals, lurking alongside the road.
4. Don’t rely on deer gadgets. Whether it’s a deer whistle, deer fence or other type of product to scare away the deer… don’t rely solely on them to keep deer away. Research isn’t exact on whether or not these products truly work. (Related: Fact or Fiction? Debunking 6 Common Myths About Deer)
   
5. When you see one… you’ll probably see more. Deer travel in groups. If one comes across your path, proceed with caution in case there are more.
6. Don’t swerve. Swerving isn’t always the safest option. Hitting a deer might often cause less damage than swerving to avoid it… and then hitting a more dangerous obstacle, like a vehicle in oncoming traffic. (Related: What’s Safer… Swerving or Staying the Course?)
   
7. Wear your seat belt. If you do hit a deer, wearing a seat belt decreases your chances of injury.
8. Spread the word. When friends or family head out on the road, let them know to be careful and alert. Even a simple reminder can help prevent deer collisions.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU HIT A DEER

Taking the above precautions can help you avoid hitting a deer… but nothing can entirely rule out the possibility. Here are steps you can take after you hit a deer.

1. Pull over. Move your vehicle to a safe place off the road. Don’t forget to turn on your hazard lights.
2. Stay away from the deer. An injured deer can still lash out and hurt someone.
3. Assess the damage. When you’re out of harm’s way, examine your vehicle and take photographs of any damage to your car. Use good judgement to know if your car is safe to drive or if you’ll need to call for a tow truck. Learn how to add Emergency Roadside Service to your ERIE auto policy.
4. Call for help. Depending on the circumstances, consider calling the police or an animal expert. While it’s not always required to file a police report, it can provide evidence if you decide to make an insurance claim. If the deer is still in the middle of the road, a trained professional from animal control, the game commission or your local fish and wildlife service can move it away for everyone’s safety.
5. Know if you should file an insurance claim. An insurance professional like an Erie Insurance agent can help you make the decision based on the specifics of your auto insurance policy. Talking with someone you already know and who is familiar with the claims process can help put your mind more at ease.

DOES MY AUTO INSURANCE COVER HITTING A DEER?

You can’t always predict if a deer will walk into your path, but if one does, we’re here to help get you back on the road as soon as possible. At Erie Insurance, deer-vehicle collisions are covered under the comprehensive portion of your auto insurance, which is an optional coverage you can choose to add on. Learn more about how to customize your ERIE auto policy.

Bad habits. We all have them. And sometimes, they can be hard to shake. This is especially true when it comes to driving. Depending on how many years you’ve spent behind the wheel, certain habits may be deeply ingrained by now. And many of them can be bad for your car.

Wondering if there are any bad driving behaviors you’ve picked up over the years? Check out our list of 13 habits that aren’t good for your car.

DRIVING ON EMPTY

Whether you’re running late and forget to fill up, or you’re just not paying attention to your fuel gauge, finding yourself low on gas can happen from time to time. But running out of gas is more than just inconvenient; it can also be hard on your car.

Why? Because critical components, like your vehicle’s fuel pump, aren’t designed to operate without gas. The fuel pump is submerged in the gas tank, where it uses fuel to cool and lubricate the mechanisms in the pump. Most fuel pumps can last for the life of your vehicle.

But when you run your car on empty, the pump can overheat, which could lead to a costly failure. And because the gas tank typically needs to be drained and removed to replace the pump, this labor-intensive job could cost upward of $1,000 to repair.

Read more: Is Driving On Empty Really That Bad?

REVVING A COLD ENGINE

It’s no fun getting into a freezing cold car. But you should know there are no shortcuts to warming up a cold vehicle. So never rev up the engine in an effort to get the heat flowing faster. Doing this will only cause excess wear and tear on your engine because the cold engine oil isn’t at the right temperature to properly lubricate all its internal components.

Read more: How to Help Your Car Recover from Winter

DELAYING MAINTENANCE

Every vehicle manufacturer recommends following a routine maintenance schedule to keep your car running in tip-top shape. In the short term, it may seem like there’s no harm in skipping an oil change, air filter replacement or tire rotation. But the truth is, taking care of these preventative maintenance tasks now can save you from needing major repairs later.

IGNORING WARNING LIGHTS

Modern cars feature a host of warning lights, and each is there to notify you of a particular problem with your vehicle. Ignoring these warning lights could leave you with a major repair down the road. Depending on the problem, it could even jeopardize the safety of you and your passengers.

So don’t make a habit of ignoring your vehicle’s warning lights. The next time that “check engine” light starts flashing, consult your car’s manual and if need be, take your car to a qualified mechanic to get it checked out.

DRIVING THROUGH DEEP WATER

If you approach any kind of flooding, including large puddles of groundwater, you may be tempted to drive right through. But your best—and safest—course of action is always to turn around and find another route. What may not seem like a lot of water can in fact be quite dangerous when you’re behind the wheel.

For starters, it can be hard to gauge how deep the water is, and you can’t see what debris or other hazards may be below the water.

See also: Here’s Why You Should Never Drive Through a Flash Flood

On top of that, driving through deep water can damage or destroy your vehicle’s engine, transmission and other critical components. It can also cause irreversible damage to your car’s complex electrical system. Because of this long-lasting damage, a flooded vehicle is often considered a total loss by insurance providers.

NOT CHECKING YOUR TIRE PRESSURE

One of the easiest car maintenance tasks to ignore is checking your tire pressure. After all, if your tire isn’t flat, what’s the big deal? But not running your tires at the manufacturer’s recommended air pressure can cause a host of problems ranging from premature or uneven tire wear to bad handling and poor fuel economy.

For that reason, experts recommend that you make a habit of checking your tire pressure once a month. And remember that when it’s cold, your tire pressure will drop between one and two pounds per square inch (PSI) for every ten-degree decrease in temperature. So pay extra attention to your tires as the seasons change.

Read more: How Cold Weather Affects Tire Pressure

RIDING THE BRAKES

Your car’s brakes represent one of its most important safety systems. But hitting the brake pedal too hard, or using the brakes too often, can leave this system severely compromised.

For example, applying the brakes for a prolonged period of time (like when slowing your car down a long hill) can cause them to overheat. And when your brakes get too hot, their stopping power is greatly reduced.

Overuse of your brakes can have long-term consequences, too. More braking means you’ll wear through pads and rotors faster, which translates to more frequent service intervals. You can also expect to pay more at the pump, thanks to lower fuel economy caused by frequent braking.

To “break” this bad habit, try to leave some extra space between you and other cars on the roadway. And if you’re descending a long hill, try shifting your car out of overdrive and into a lower gear; this will allow the engine to do some of the braking for you.

IGNORING A WINDSHIELD CHIP

You’re driving along when suddenly you hear a loud noise. Whack! A rock hits your windshield.

You scan your windshield for signs of damage and discover the impact only left a small chip. It’s barely noticeable, so there’s no point in getting it repaired, right? Wrong.

The truth is, leaving a windshield chip will increase the likelihood that the damage will get worse. Weather changes or simply driving over a pothole, speed bump or uneven terrain puts additional pressure on the edges of a chip, which can quickly turn into a crack.

Repairing a chip is always less expensive than doing a full windshield replacement. It typically takes less than 30 minutes. And in most states where Erie Insurance does business¹, comprehensive coverage from ERIE will cover the cost to repair a cracked or chipped windshield without charging you the deductible.

Learn more about what to expect when filing a glass claim.

NOT REGULARLY WASHING YOUR CAR

Everybody can appreciate how good a freshly washed car looks. But the benefits of a clean vehicle extend far beyond the visual appeal. If you go long periods of time without washing your car, all that dirt and grime will embed itself in the painted surfaces and will eventually eat away at the clear coat, causing permanent damage.

The consequences are even greater if you live in an area that uses road salt to melt the ice and snow. That’s because salt creates chemical reactions that can corrode the components on your car. This is especially true for any exposed metal, like brake lines and fuel lines.

Read more: Here’s What Road Salt Does to Your Car

SHIFTING WITHOUT COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP

If you drive a car with an automatic transmission, you may have fallen into the bad habit of shifting from “reverse” to “drive” while the car is still moving.

Even if you’re moving backward at a slow speed, switching gears without coming to a complete stop puts extra stress on your car’s drivetrain—particularly the transmission. And chances are, the few seconds you save in the process aren’t worth the cost of a premature transmission service, which can cost $2,000 or more.

DRIVING TOO FAST OVER SPEED BUMPS

Speed bumps are installed to help slow down traffic, making areas safer for pedestrians. If you drive over a speed bump at a slow speed, your car will be unharmed. But hit a speed bump faster than about 10 miles per hour, and you can do serious damage to your car.

The sudden impact of a speed bump could cause your suspension to bottom out, damaging your shocks and struts. It could also bend other important suspension components or knock your car out of alignment. So take it slow!

HITTING POTHOLES

If you live in an area that sees cold winters, the constant freeze-thaw cycles can make potholes a common sight on the roadways. When driving, you should do your best to avoid hitting them at all costs.

Potholes can cause damage to your vehicle ranging from flat tires or bent wheels to much pricier damage to your suspension, steering system or exhaust system. Next time you encounter a pothole, try to swerve around it. If swerving isn’t possible, reduce your speed to lessen the impact—and any potential damage.

See also: What to Do If You Get a Flat Tire

LETTING YOUR CAR SIT FOR LONG PERIODS

Parking your car for extended periods of time can take its toll on your vehicle. The time it takes for your vehicle to be damaged by long-term storage will vary based on several factors, including the location of your parked car and how well you’ve prepared it.

However, the negative effects of time on an undriven vehicle can be observed sooner than you may think. (Learn how long your car can sit without driving it.)

When your car is left undriven, the fuel and battery can go bad. Tires and rubber belts can crack. Rust can begin to form. And rodents could even make your car their new home.

See also: Is There a Mouse Living In My Car?

If you have a college student away, for example, consider using a battery maintainer while the car sits. Since maintainers are used for maintenance during periods when cars aren’t going to be used, time isn’t of the essence when charging. This means that a maintainer can give a battery a “low and slow” charge, which is better for its health than a faster charge or a jump.

Car buyers who consider safety a must-have feature can now choose from an even greater variety, according to the 2022 Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s TOP SAFETY PICK award list.

This year’s list recognized 101 vehicles in all, naming 65 models TOP SAFETY PICK+ choices and another 36 TOP SAFETY PICKs.

In the annual TOP SAFETY PICK awards, the IIHS announces which new models performed best in their evaluations. The list is organized by size and type on the IIHS website.

HOW ARE TOP SAFETY PICKS DETERMINED?

Each year, the IIHS, a nonprofit research and education organization, conducts tests to determine how vehicles fair in two aspects of safety: crashworthiness and crash avoidance/mitigation. It also evaluates other elements of vehicle safety, such as headlight ratings.

The IIHS awarded winners in 11 size categories, from small cars to large pickups.

All award-winning models earned “good” ratings in six crashworthiness tests and offer trims with front-crash prevention systems with “advanced” or “superior” ratings. Every winner must also have at least one headlight system that earns a “good” or “acceptable” rating.

While no new award criteria were introduced this year, some features were common among the winners. Front-crash prevention systems with “advanced” or “superior” ratings in vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-pedestrian evaluations are standard on all but two TOP SAFETY PICK+ winners and 30 out of 36 TOP SAFETY PICK winners. And although standard “acceptable” headlights can qualify for the higher award, 31 models come exclusively with “good” headlights.

Headlight and front-crash prevention improvements are increasingly becoming standard across the industry. Carmakers have pledged to make vehicle-to-vehicle automatic emergency braking standard on nearly all the light-duty vehicles they produce beginning this September.

(See also: The Driver’s Guide to Headlights)

IIHS has already announced two new evaluations to its awards requirements for 2023: an updated side test and a nighttime pedestrian crash prevention test.

THE 2022 TOP SAFETY PICK WINNERS

This year’s 101 overall picks and 65 TOP SAFETY PICK+ winners surpassed last year’s list of 90 total winners and 49 “plus” vehicles.

Hyundai Motor Group, consisting of Hyundai, Kia and Genesis, led all manufacturers with 21 total TOP SAFETY PICKs, including 11 “plus” award winners. The Korean automaker placed vehicles in nine categories, including four models in the Small SUV class (the Hyundai Tucson was a TOP SAFETY PICK+, while the Hyundai Venue, Kia Seltos and Kia Sportage were all TOP SAFETY PICKS).

The Volkswagen Group, which comprises the Volkswagen and Audi brands, earned 11 accolades, including eight plus selections. Volvo, which led manufacturers with nine TOP SAFETY PICKs+ a year ago, placed 10 in the same category in 2022.

This year’s minivan and pickup truck classes also grew to include four vehicles apiece after only two minivans and one pickup qualified in 2021.

For the full list of winners and ratings, visit iihs.org/ratings.

INSURANCE FOR NEW AND USED CARS

Car shopping doesn’t just mean kicking tires and taking test drives. It’s also an ideal time to examine your auto insurance options. For both endeavors, here are a few articles from our blog that might help:

• What Determines the Price of My Auto Insurance?
• What’s Cheaper: Insuring Old Cars or New Cars?
• Do I Have Insurance When I Drive My New Car Off the Lot?
• What to Know Before Trading In Your Car
• Should You Buy a New or Used Car?
• Car Chip Shortage 2022: What’s Going On?

ERIE requires new teen drivers to be added to a parent or guardian’s auto policy or take out their ownpolicy once they get their license. If your teen driver only has a learner’s permit, he or she is automatically covered under your policy—so no need to touch base with your ERIE Agent just yet.

ADD TO MY POLICY OR GET THEIR OWN?

Deciding whether to add newly licensed drivers to your existing auto policy or have them take out their own policy comes down to the car they’re using.

If they’re using your car, they will be covered under your policy the same way you are. This means they get policy benefits like Feature 15, which never allows your policy to be surcharged for an at-fault accident after your auto policy has been in force for 15 years. The only things your teen driver won’t have are certain rights like the ability to modify deductibles and other coverages—those are reserved for the main policyholder.

You’ll want to take out a policy in your teen driver’s name if he or she holds the car title. If you buy your teen driver a car and you hold the title, you can still add the young driver to your policy. This is usually a less expensive option since your teen benefits from your driving record.

No matter how you choose to insure your teen driver, it’s important to do it as soon as he or she is licensed. Every driver in your house needs protection—and that’s especially true with inexperienced teen drivers. ERIE also aims to assess a fair and accurate premium based on all the drivers in your house, and that’s impossible to
do when drivers aren’t properly disclosed.

If a new teen driver isn’t added to a policy and gets in an accident, ERIE typically covers the claim. However, you may be charged back premium from the time when the teen driver became licensed and should have been added to the policy up to the present time.

KEEPING COSTS IN CHECK

Teen drivers are typically more expensive to insure because they lack a solid driving record and get into more accidents on average than more experienced drivers. That said, there are a few ways to keep car premiums for new teen drivers under control.

They include:

• Choosing ERIE Rate Lock^®: With this optional feature, your low, locked-in premium will never change—even if you submit a claim—until you add or remove a vehicle or driver, or change your primary residence.¹
• Changing your deductibles: You can choose to have different collision and comprehensive deductibles for your teen driver than for yourself under the same policy. Choosing a higher deductible typically lowers the premium.
• Taking an accident prevention course: ERIE offers a discount to teen drivers who complete certain accident prevention programs. Many states only let insurers offer discounts for certain approved programs, so talk with your ERIE Agent before enrolling your teen in a course to make sure it’s discount eligible.
• Maintaining a clean driving record: ERIE has a youthful driver discount for teens who maintain a clean driving record and who meet a few other requirements. Your ERIE Agent can tell you more about it.

As a parent or guardian, you play a big role in helping your teen drive responsibly. Take the time to talk with your teen about the importance of driving safely and avoiding distracted driving.

Autumn is beautiful, but it also introduces some fall driving hazards… deer collisions being one of them. From October to December, mating and hunting season make deer go on the move. For drivers, that means you’re more likely to hit one.

But have you ever wondered how your auto insurance can cover hitting a deer? Are deer collisions covered by comprehensive or collision coverage?

According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, deer-vehicle collisions are the top animal-related claim in the U.S. Before you get too worried, here are some helpful tips on how to avoid hitting a deer… and how to handle things if you end up hitting one despite your best efforts.

1. Know where the deer are likely to be. Areas with high deer populations are normally marked with a bright yellow sign. Deer also tend to graze in wooded areas or open fields. When driving your usual route to work, be attentive to areas where you’ve seen deer in the past – they are likely to cross there again.
2. Be alert at sunrise and sunset. Deer are more active during dawn and dusk hours.
3. Use your high beams. When possible, use your high beams for better visibility. The extra light will help make it easier to spot a deer, or other animals, lurking alongside the road.
4. Don’t rely on deer gadgets. Whether it’s a deer whistle, deer fence or other type of product to scare away the deer… don’t rely solely on them to keep deer away. Research isn’t exact on whether or not these products truly work. (Related: Fact or Fiction? Debunking 6 Common Myths About Deer)
   
5. When you see one… you’ll probably see more. Deer travel in groups. If one comes across your path, proceed with caution in case there are more.
6. Don’t swerve. Swerving isn’t always the safest option. Hitting a deer might often cause less damage than swerving to avoid it… and then hitting a more dangerous obstacle, like a vehicle in oncoming traffic. (Related: What’s Safer… Swerving or Staying the Course?)
   
7. Wear your seat belt. If you do hit a deer, wearing a seat belt decreases your chances of injury.
8. Spread the word. When friends or family head out on the road, let them know to be careful and alert. Even a simple reminder can help prevent deer collisions.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU HIT A DEER

Taking the above precautions can help you avoid hitting a deer… but nothing can entirely rule out the possibility. Here are steps you can take after you hit a deer.

1. Pull over. Move your vehicle to a safe place off the road. Don’t forget to turn on your hazard lights.
2. Stay away from the deer. An injured deer can still lash out and hurt someone.
3. Assess the damage. When you’re out of harm’s way, examine your vehicle and take photographs of any damage to your car. Use good judgement to know if your car is safe to drive or if you’ll need to call for a tow truck. Learn how to add Emergency Roadside Service to your ERIE auto policy.
4. Call for help. Depending on the circumstances, consider calling the police or an animal expert. While it’s not always required to file a police report, it can provide evidence if you decide to make an insurance claim. If the deer is still in the middle of the road, a trained professional from animal control, the game commission or your local fish and wildlife service can move it away for everyone’s safety.
5. Know if you should file an insurance claim. An insurance professional like an Erie Insurance agent can help you make the decision based on the specifics of your auto insurance policy. Talking with someone you already know and who is familiar with the claims process can help put your mind more at ease.

DOES MY AUTO INSURANCE COVER HITTING A DEER?

You can’t always predict if a deer will walk into your path, but if one does, we’re here to help get you back on the road as soon as possible. At Erie Insurance, deer-vehicle collisions are covered under the comprehensive portion of your auto insurance, which is an optional coverage you can choose to add on. Learn more about how to customize your ERIE auto policy.