Deer Collision Season in Indiana
1 in 116 odds of an animal collision claim, 23rd of 51 in State Farm’s 2025-2026 ranking. Indiana deer live in the farm country of the north and the wooded hills of the south, and state and local police report deer collisions to INDOT.
Odds of hitting a deer in Indiana
1 in 116, from State Farm’s analysis of industry animal collision claims between July 1, 2025 and June 30, 2026. That ranks Indiana 23rd 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 Indiana by month
NHTSA’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System recorded 56 fatal animal crashes in Indiana from 2015 to 2024, about 5.6 a year, with 59 deaths. That is 0.7 percent of all fatal crashes in the state and 9th among the states by count. May is the month with the most fatal animal crashes in Indiana, 9 of 56 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.
Deer crashes Indiana reports
State counts include crashes that injured no one, so they run far higher than FARS, and each state defines and counts them its own way.
17,8352025 in Indiana: deer-vehicle collisions reported by state and local police to INDOT
2024: 16,337.
“The total number of deer-vehicle collisions reported across the state increased from 16,337 in 2024 to 17,835 in 2025”Indiana Department of Natural Resources (2025 Indiana White-tailed Deer Report), from Indiana Department of Transportation crash data, quoted exactly.
Compiled 2026-09-21.
When the deer rut runs in Indiana
The deer rut in Indiana runs October 1 to November 30. Peak, as the agency describes it: ranged from Nov. 6 to Nov. 14 across years, Nov. 2 to Nov. 16 across counties.
“Increased deer activity associated with the rut leads to more deer-vehicle collisions. To estimate rut timing, the average number of deer-vehicle collisions for each day of the year was estimated for every county. The resulting peak date of deer-vehicle collisions represents peak breeding dates for each Indiana county.”Indiana Department of Natural Resources, White-tailed Deer Biology page, quoted exactly.
Sunset in Indianapolis when the clocks fall back
On November 7, 2027, clocks fall back an hour and sunset in Indianapolis moves from 6:37 PM to 5:36 PM, putting the evening drive home in dusk and darkness.
Indianapolis, 61 minutes earlier by the clock.
Clock change: Uniform Time Act, 15 U.S.C. 260a, and 49 CFR part 71. Sunset calculated for Indianapolis 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 Indiana
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.