If you hit a deer in Rochester this fall, move your vehicle to a safe location if you can do so safely, turn on your hazard lights, check yourself and your passengers for injuries, contact police when needed, stay away from the animal, document the scene, and notify your insurer promptly. If anyone is injured, seek medical care and keep records of your treatment and accident-related expenses.
Fall brings a higher risk of deer collisions across New York. State officials reported 32,287 crashes involving deer in 2024. Monroe County recorded 1,431 deer crashes, the highest county total in the state. October, November, and December accounted for a sharp rise in deer crashes, with November recording the largest monthly total.
A deer crash may involve vehicle damage, no-fault benefits for injuries, a required DMV crash report, or a separate liability claim when another driver contributes to the collision. Friedman & Ranzenhofer, PC helps Rochester drivers review insurance issues, evidence, injuries, and filing requirements after serious motor vehicle crashes.
Robert Friedman
Michael Ranzenhofer
Justin Friedman
Why Deer Accidents Increase in Rochester During Fall 
Deer are more active during the fall breeding season and are more likely to cross roads during October, November, and December. New York DMV and the Department of Environmental Conservation report that deer movement often peaks around dawn and dusk, when visibility can be reduced and traffic can be heavier.
In 2024, New York recorded 4,050 deer crashes in October, 5,854 in November, and 3,624 in December. Monroe County recorded 1,431 deer crashes for the year, more than any other county in the state.
If you see a deer near the roadway, reduce your speed and watch for additional deer because they often travel in groups. If an animal enters the roadway, New York officials advise drivers to brake firmly rather than swerve. Swerving can lead to a collision with another vehicle, tree, pole, guardrail, or other roadside object.
What Should You Do Immediately After Hitting a Deer?
Your first priority is safety. Move your vehicle to the shoulder or another secure location if the vehicle can be moved safely. Turn on your hazard lights and remain out of active traffic lanes.
Take these steps after the collision:
- Check yourself and your passengers for injuries.
• Call 911 if anyone is injured or needs emergency medical care.
• Call the police to report the collision, especially if the deer is blocking traffic or the crash creates a roadway hazard.
• Stay away from the deer, even if it appears motionless.
• Do not touch, move, or attempt to help an injured deer.
• Photograph your vehicle, the roadway, debris, nearby signs, and the surrounding area from a safe location.
• Check for leaking fluids, tire damage, broken lights, loose parts, and a hood that will not latch.
• Request a tow if the vehicle does not appear safe to drive.
• Notify your insurance company promptly and keep your claim information.
New York DMV and DEC warn drivers to stay away from an injured deer because a frightened animal can move suddenly and cause injury.
If your vehicle does not appear safe to drive, request a tow. Do not assume that a damaged vehicle is safe after an animal strike.
For related Rochester car accident guidance, visit:
https://www.legalsurvival.com/rochester-car-accident-lawyers/
Get Medical Attention When You Have Symptoms
A deer collision can cause injuries even when another vehicle is not involved. Sudden braking, airbag deployment, impact forces, and a second collision with another vehicle or roadside object can lead to neck pain, back pain, headaches, dizziness, shoulder pain, knee injuries, or other symptoms.
Seek medical care if you are injured or develop symptoms after the crash. Tell the medical provider when the collision occurred, how the impact happened, and when your symptoms began. Follow the treatment instructions you receive and keep copies of discharge papers, referrals, prescriptions, medical bills, and work restrictions.
Medical records can document your symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and recovery. Keeping those records together with your insurance documents can also help you answer later questions about the accident.
For more information about Rochester injury claims, visit:
https://www.legalsurvival.com/rochester-injury-lawyers/
When Do You Have to File a New York Crash Report?
A police report and a New York DMV motorist crash report serve different purposes. Under New York law, you must file a motorist crash report when a crash in New York causes a fatality, personal injury, or more than $1,000 in damage to the property of any one person, including your own property.
The MV-104 form states that the report must be filed within 10 days. This requirement can apply to a single-vehicle deer collision when the crash causes an injury or enough damage to your vehicle.
Vehicle damage can exceed $1,000 after a front-end animal strike. Headlights, bumpers, sensors, cameras, radiators, hoods, windshields, and body panels can all require inspection or repair.
Keep a copy of the report you submit. If you do not know whether the property damage exceeds the reporting threshold, obtain a repair estimate as soon as practical.
New York DMV crash reporting information:
https://dmv.ny.gov/records/file-a-motorist-crash-accident-report
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How Insurance May Apply After a Deer Collision
A deer accident can involve separate insurance issues for vehicle damage and personal injuries.
If your vehicle is damaged, review the optional physical damage coverage in your auto policy and report the loss promptly. New York Department of Financial Services guidance explains how policyholders can file physical damage claims under their own policies. Ask your insurer which coverage applies to the animal strike. Coverage, deductibles, exclusions, and claim procedures depend on the policy.
If you are injured, New York no-fault insurance may provide benefits for qualifying economic losses related to the motor vehicle accident. Basic no-fault coverage can include accident-related medical expenses, a portion of lost earnings, and certain other reasonable and necessary expenses, subject to statutory limits and policy rules.
New York regulations generally require written notice of a no-fault claim as soon as reasonably practicable and no later than 30 days after the accident. A late filing may be accepted when the injured person provides written proof of a clear and reasonable justification for the delay.
Keep your claim number, insurance correspondence, medical records, repair estimates, photographs, and documents you submit to the insurer.
New York Department of Financial Services no-fault information:
https://www.dfs.ny.gov/consumers/auto_insurance/nofault_faqs
When Another Driver Is Involved in a Deer Accident
Some deer accidents involve more than one vehicle. Another driver may swerve into your lane, follow too closely to stop, strike your vehicle after the first impact, or make another driving decision that contributes to a second collision.
When another motorist is involved, preserve evidence showing how each impact occurred. Useful evidence may include:
- Photographs of vehicle positions and damage
• Dash-camera footage
• Witness names and contact information
• Police observations and report information
• Skid marks, debris, and roadway conditions
• Traffic or nearby surveillance footage when available
• Tow records and repair estimates
• Medical records documenting accident-related injuries
The presence of a deer does not by itself resolve every question about fault. A separate claim against another driver may depend on the driver’s conduct, the available evidence, and New York motor vehicle injury rules.
Preserve Evidence Before It Disappears
Evidence from a roadside crash can change quickly. Vehicles may be towed, debris may be cleared, the animal may be removed, and traffic may resume.
From a safe location, preserve information such as:
- Photographs of every side of your vehicle
• Close photographs of damaged areas
• Images of the roadway, shoulder, signs, debris, and surrounding area
• Police incident or report information
• Witness names and contact details
• Dash-camera footage
• Tow records
• Repair estimates and invoices
• Medical records and bills
• Insurance emails and letters
• Receipts for accident-related expenses
• Notes about the time, lighting, weather, traffic, and direction of travel
Write down what you remember while the details are recent. Include where you first saw the deer, what you did before impact, where the vehicle stopped, whether another vehicle was involved, and when any physical symptoms began.
Common Mistakes to Avoid After a Deer Accident
A few practical choices can protect the quality of your records after a deer collision.
- Document the scene before leaving when you can do so safely.
• Give insurers accurate information and avoid guessing about details you do not know.
• Save repair estimates, invoices, medical records, and insurance correspondence.
• Preserve dash-camera footage before the recording system overwrites it.
• Seek medical care when you develop accident-related symptoms.
• Complete any required DMV reporting within the applicable deadline.
• Review insurance requests carefully before providing recorded or signed statements.
If an injury claim or insurance dispute develops, a Rochester car accident lawyer can review the records and explain which insurance coverages or legal claims may apply.
https://www.legalsurvival.com/rochester-car-accident-lawyers/
Do You Need a Lawyer After Hitting a Deer?
A lawyer may be useful when the collision involves significant injuries, disputed insurance coverage, another driver, conflicting accounts of the crash, continuing medical treatment, substantial lost income, or questions about filing requirements.
Legal review may be especially useful when:
- You or a passenger suffered a significant injury.
• Another driver was involved in the crash.
• Fault is disputed.
• No-fault benefits are delayed or denied.
• An insurer requests a recorded statement.
• More than one insurance policy may apply.
• You miss substantial time from work.
• Your injuries require continuing medical treatment.
• The deer collision leads to a second impact with another vehicle or object.
An attorney can review the police materials, insurance policies, medical records, photographs, repair documents, and filing deadlines. That review can help identify whether the matter involves a first-party insurance claim, a claim against another driver, or both.
For information about the firm’s Rochester legal services, visit:
https://www.legalsurvival.com/law-firm-rochester-ny/
Speak With a Rochester Car Accident Lawyer
If a deer accident in Rochester leaves you injured, facing an insurance dispute, or unsure whether another driver shares responsibility, Friedman & Ranzenhofer, PC can review the circumstances and explain the legal and insurance issues that may apply.
The firm has served New York residents since 1955 and represents clients in Rochester and nearby Western New York communities.
Call (585) 484-7432:
tel:+15854847432
Contact the firm:
https://www.legalsurvival.com/contact-us/
Rochester office information:
https://www.legalsurvival.com/offices/
This article is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Reading this article or contacting the firm does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every matter depends on its specific facts and applicable law.
Official Sources
New York DMV and DEC fall deer collision guidance:
New York DMV motorist crash report requirements:
https://dmv.ny.gov/records/file-a-motorist-crash-accident-report
New York Department of Financial Services no-fault insurance guidance:
https://www.dfs.ny.gov/consumers/auto_insurance/nofault_faqs
New York Department of Financial Services guidance for filing claims under your own policy:
https://www.dfs.ny.gov/consumers/auto_insurance/filing_claims_under_your_own_policy