Deer mating season, October, November and December are the worst months for animal collisions. A collision with a deer or other animal can put a serious dent in your vehicle, if not destroy it completely.

According to the North Jersey Deer Crash Coalition, every year there are approximately 15,000 vehicle crashes involving deer in the state and those certainly have a cost. AAA Insurance reports the average amount of a New Jersey claim is thousands of dollars for crashes where an animal collided with a vehicle.

Below are AAA Insurance statistics for New Jersey.

Year        No. of animal strikes/claims           Average cost/insurance claim to repair vehicle

2011                276                                                      $3,406

2012                350                                                      $3,767

2013                287                                                      $3,658

2014                342                                                      $3,865

“Motorists need to be extra vigilant no matter what road they travel, but especially those on rural, wooded roads and during commuting times which coincide with high times of deer activity, such as early morning and early evening. If a deer-vehicle collision is unavoidable, don’t swerve out of your lane or lose control of your vehicle,” says Sue Madden, spokesperson for AAA Mid-Atlantic.  “Protect yourself by always wearing a seat belt and avoid distractions like your phone.”

AAA Mid-Atlantic has some tips to help avoid potentially deadly and costly accidents involving all kinds of animals:

Keep your eyes moving back and forth. Continuously sweep your eyes across the road in front of you for signs of animals and movement. Animals may also be alongside the road, so make sure to look to the right and left, as well. While the most likely accident is you hitting an animal, on occasion they might also hit you by running into the side of your car.

Be especially attentive in early morning and evening hours. Many animals, especially deer, are most active from 5-8 a.m. and 5-8 p.m. – prime commuting times for many people.

Deer rarely travel alone. If you see one, slow down. There are likely others.

Use high beams when there’s no oncoming traffic. You can spot animals sooner. Sometimes the light reflecting off their eyes will reveal their location.

Slow down, and watch for other deer to appear. Deer rarely travel alone, so if you see one, there are likely to be more nearby.

Slow down around curves. It’s harder to spot animals down the road when going around curves.

One long blast. A long blast on your horn may frighten animals away from your vehicle.

Use brakes if an impact is imminent. Don’t swerve. Instead, stay in your lane. Swerving away from animals can confuse them so they don’t know which way to run. It can also put you in the path of oncoming vehicles or cause you to crash into something like a lamppost or a tree.

Always wear a seatbelt. The chances of getting injured when hitting an animal are much higher if you don’t have your seatbelt on. Also never drive drunk, distracted or drowsy.

Don’t go near a wounded animal. A wounded animal can be unpredictable and cause injury. If it’s in the middle of the road and blocking traffic, call the police immediately.

Consider purchasing comprehensive insurance, if you don’t already have it. Comprehensive insurance is the type of insurance that covers animal strikes.

AAA Mid-Atlantic Insurance Agency is a go-to source for insurance information. To learn more, visit AAA.com/insurance or call 866-AAA-4YOU

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