Auto Collisions
Many people delight in seeing deer, and getting close to nature is part of the allure of rural living. This tends to fuel suburban expansion. However many New Jersey motorists are getting closer to nature than they'd like. Officially, the state recorded over 16,000 motor vehicle accidents involving deer in 1999. Experts believe the number of accidents is grossly underreported and estimates of the true number of collisions go as high as 25,000 each year. The average insurance claim for each reported collision ranges between $2,500 and $3,000. As New Jersey's deer herd increases and suburban sprawl continues, auto collisions will undoubtedly increase.