Deer Collision Season in Georgia
1 in 115 odds of an animal collision claim, 22nd of 51 in State Farm’s 2025-2026 ranking. Georgia’s white-tailed deer are found from the Blue Ridge to the coastal plain, and the rut arrives on different weeks in different parts of the state.
Odds of hitting a deer in Georgia
1 in 115, from State Farm’s analysis of industry animal collision claims between July 1, 2025 and June 30, 2026. That ranks Georgia 22nd of 51 (the 50 states and the District of Columbia), in the medium likelihood category, against a national figure of 1 in 145. That is a lower likelihood than 1 in 109 in the 2024-2025 edition.
Source: State Farm, How likely are you to have an animal collision? (2025-2026). Compiled 2026-09-21.
Fatal animal crashes in Georgia by month
NHTSA’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System recorded 54 fatal animal crashes in Georgia from 2015 to 2024, about 5.4 a year, with 55 deaths. That is 0.4 percent of all fatal crashes in the state and 12th among the states by count. October is the month with the most fatal animal crashes in Georgia, 9 of 54 across the ten years. FARS counts crashes with any animal; the insurance claim season, October to December, is shaded.
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), first harmful event Live Animal, 2015 to 2024. Compiled 2026-09-21.
When the deer rut runs in Georgia
The deer rut in Georgia runs October 13 to December 28.
“During the rut, the desire to breed causes deer to become more active compared to the rest of the year. Bucks move more and become less secretive, making them easier to hunt and more susceptible to being hit by motor vehicles.”Georgia Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Resources Division, Map of Deer Movement in Georgia, quoted exactly.
Sunset in Atlanta when the clocks fall back
On November 7, 2027, clocks fall back an hour and sunset in Atlanta moves from 6:41 PM to 5:40 PM, putting the evening drive home in dusk and darkness.
Atlanta, 61 minutes earlier by the clock.
Clock change: Uniform Time Act, 15 U.S.C. 260a, and 49 CFR part 71. Sunset calculated for Atlanta and checked against the U.S. Naval Observatory Astronomical Applications Department.
What state agencies tell drivers
“If you cannot avoid hitting a deer with your vehicle, brake firmly and stay in your lane. Avoid sudden swerving, which can result in a loss of control and a more serious crash.”Wisconsin Department of Transportation, quoted exactly.
“If a deer runs in front of you, do not swerve. Brake firmly and stay in your lane.”Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security / Tennessee Highway Patrol, quoted exactly.
“Don’t swerve to avoid hitting a deer. Swerving can cause motorists to lose control and travel off the road or into oncoming traffic.”Missouri Department of Transportation, quoted exactly.
Questions people ask about deer collisions in Georgia
Fatal animal crash counts compiled 2026-09-21 from the NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS). State Farm odds, agency counts and quotes compiled 2026-09-21 from the pages linked above, quoted exactly.