Published by Benton White Insurance – Serving Brentwood and All of Middle Tennessee

If you’ve been following local news, you might have seen the remarkable footage from Franklin Police showing a buck crashing through not one, but two homes in early November. While no one was injured in these unusual incidents, they serve as a dramatic reminder: deer activity in Middle Tennessee peaks during fall and winter, creating significant risks for both drivers and homeowners.

At Benton White Insurance, we want you to understand both how to avoid deer-related accidents and what insurance coverage protects you if a collision occurs. With deer mating season (known as “the rut”) in full swing through December, now is the time to review your coverage and driving habits.

The Franklin Deer Incidents: A Wake-Up Call

The recent Franklin incidents were certainly extraordinary. According to Franklin Police, a buck attracted to porch lights charged through locked doors at two separate homes, shattering glass before landing in a backyard and eventually escaping over a fence with help from officers and bystanders.

While deer literally crashing into homes remains rare, these incidents highlight just how unpredictable and active deer become during mating season. What happens far more frequently – and what affects thousands of Middle Tennessee drivers each year – are vehicle collisions with deer on our roads.

Understanding the Scope of the Problem

The statistics are sobering. Nationwide, more than 1.5 million vehicle-deer collisions occur annually, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. These crashes result in:

• Tens of thousands of injuries
• More than $1 billion in vehicle damage each year
• Peak occurrence between October and December

Right here in Middle Tennessee, Franklin Police report responding to multiple deer-related crashes in recent weeks alone. And Franklin isn’t unique – communities throughout Williamson, Davidson, Rutherford, and surrounding counties all experience increased deer activity during fall months.

Why Fall and Early Winter Are So Dangerous

Deer behavior changes dramatically during mating season, which runs from October through December in Tennessee. During this period:

Deer Are More Active: Bucks roam extensively searching for mates, often traveling outside their normal territories and crossing roads they wouldn’t typically traverse.

Movement Peaks at Dawn and Dusk: These are precisely the times many of us commute to and from work, creating the perfect storm for vehicle-deer encounters.

Deer Travel in Groups: Where you see one deer, others often follow. A doe might cross safely, only to be followed by several more deer moments later.

Unpredictable Behavior: Startled deer may freeze in headlights, dart unpredictably, or even run toward vehicles rather than away from them.

High-Risk Areas in Middle Tennessee

While deer can appear anywhere, certain locations see more frequent collisions:

• Rural highways and back roads connecting our communities
• Areas transitioning from rural to suburban development (much of Williamson and Rutherford counties)
• Roads bordered by wooded areas or open fields
• Routes near water sources where deer congregate
• Areas with “Deer Crossing” warning signs (placed in documented high-activity zones)

If your daily commute includes Highway 96, Highway 431, Natchez Trace Parkway, or rural sections of roads throughout our region, you’re in higher-risk territory during deer season.

Essential Safety Tips for Middle Tennessee Drivers

Franklin Police have released important guidance that every local driver should follow:

Stay Alert During Peak Times

Dawn and dusk are when deer are most active. During these hours:

• Reduce your speed slightly
• Scan roadsides continuously
• Minimize distractions (put your phone away)
• Be especially vigilant in known deer areas

Use Your High Beams Strategically

When there’s no oncoming traffic on rural roads, use high beams. They illuminate a larger area and can catch the reflective glow of deer eyes on the roadside, giving you precious extra seconds to react.

If You See One Deer, Expect More

Deer rarely travel alone. If one crosses in front of you, slow down and watch for others following behind. Don’t assume the danger has passed just because the first deer made it across safely.

Don’t Swerve – Brake Firmly

This is critical advice that goes against our instincts. If a collision appears unavoidable:

• Brake firmly and maintain your lane
• Do NOT swerve into oncoming traffic
• Do NOT swerve off the road into trees or ditches

Statistics show that swerving to avoid deer often causes more serious accidents than hitting the deer would have caused. Head-on collisions with other vehicles or impacts with trees result in far more severe injuries and fatalities than deer strikes.

Always Wear Your Seatbelt

This basic safety measure becomes even more important during deer season. In the event of a collision, your seatbelt is your best protection against injury.

Give Yourself Extra Time

Leaving a few minutes earlier reduces pressure to speed, giving you more reaction time if a deer appears. The stress of running late impairs your ability to respond to sudden hazards.

What to Do Immediately After a Deer Collision

If you hit a deer despite your best precautions, take these steps:

Ensure Everyone’s Safety First

• Check yourself and all passengers for injuries
• If the vehicle is drivable and it’s safe to do so, move to the roadside
• Turn on hazard lights
• If you cannot safely move the vehicle, call 911 immediately

Do Not Approach the Deer

An injured deer can be dangerous. Even if it appears dead, it may suddenly thrash or kick. For your safety, maintain distance and never attempt to move the animal yourself.

Call the Appropriate Number

• Emergency situations (injuries, vehicle blocking traffic): Call 911
• Non-injury crashes: Contact your local police department’s non-emergency line
  • Franklin Police Dispatch: (615) 794-2513
  • For other Middle Tennessee communities, keep your local non-emergency number in your phone

Document the Scene

If it’s safe to do so, take photos of:

• Vehicle damage from multiple angles
• The accident location
• Road conditions
• The deer’s location (from a safe distance)
• Any skid marks or debris

This documentation will be valuable for your insurance claim.

Contact Benton White Insurance

Call us as soon as possible after the accident. We’ll guide you through the claims process and help ensure you receive the coverage you’re entitled to. Don’t wait days or weeks – prompt reporting helps your claim proceed smoothly.

Understanding Your Insurance Coverage for Deer Collisions

This is where many drivers get confused. Let’s clarify exactly what coverage applies to deer strikes:

Comprehensive Coverage Is What You Need

Deer collisions are covered under the comprehensive portion of your auto insurance policy, not collision coverage (despite the name seeming to indicate otherwise).

Comprehensive coverage protects against:

• Animal strikes (deer, dogs, livestock)
• Theft
• Vandalism
• Fire
• Falling objects
• Glass damage
• Weather-related damage (hail, flooding)

If you only carry liability insurance (the legal minimum in Tennessee), you have no coverage for damage to your own vehicle from a deer strike. You’d be responsible for all repair costs out of pocket.

How Claims Work

When you file a comprehensive claim for a deer collision:

1. Your deductible applies: If you carry a $500 comprehensive deductible and repairs cost $3,000, you pay $500 and insurance covers the remaining $2,500.
2. No-fault claim: Because this falls under comprehensive coverage, it’s considered a no-fault claim, meaning it typically won’t increase your premium the way an at-fault accident would.
3. Total loss possibility: If repair costs exceed your vehicle’s actual cash value, your insurer will declare it a total loss and pay you the vehicle’s value minus your deductible.

Windshield Damage Is Common

Even glancing deer strikes often shatter windshields. Some insurance policies offer lower deductibles specifically for glass damage, or in some cases, glass claims with no deductible. Review your policy to understand your specific glass coverage.

Reviewing Your Coverage: Questions to Ask

Not sure if you’re properly protected? Contact Benton White Insurance to review:

Do you carry comprehensive coverage? If not, you have no protection against deer strikes or other comprehensive perils.

What’s your comprehensive deductible? Higher deductibles mean lower premiums but more out-of-pocket expense if you hit a deer. Consider whether you could comfortably afford your deductible tomorrow if needed.

Do you have rental car coverage? After a deer collision, your vehicle might be in the shop for weeks. Rental coverage pays for a replacement vehicle during repairs.

Is your coverage amount adequate? If you’re still paying off a newer vehicle, ensure your coverage limits reflect the vehicle’s value.

Beyond Auto Insurance: Homeowners Coverage for Unusual Incidents

While extremely rare, those Franklin incidents raise an interesting question: what if a deer does damage your home?

Standard homeowners insurance typically covers damage from wildlife as a covered peril, similar to other sudden and accidental damage. This would include:

• Broken windows or doors
• Structural damage
• Damage to personal property inside your home

However, you’d need to pay your homeowners deductible, and coverage specifics vary by policy. If you live in an area with significant deer activity near your home, it’s worth discussing this scenario with your insurance agent.

Prevention Tips for Homeowners

While you can’t control deer behavior, you can reduce attraction to your property:

• Remove deer attractants like gardens with favorite deer plants
• Use motion-activated lights cautiously (remember, lights attracted that Franklin buck)
• Maintain fencing around vulnerable areas
• Keep garbage secured to avoid attracting deer searching for food

The Bigger Picture: Coexisting with Wildlife

Middle Tennessee’s beauty includes abundant wildlife, and our growing communities increasingly overlap with deer habitats. As development continues in areas like Williamson and Rutherford counties, human-deer encounters will likely increase.

Understanding the risks, driving defensively during peak deer season, and maintaining appropriate insurance coverage allows us to coexist with our wildlife neighbors while protecting ourselves financially.

Your Action Plan for Deer Season

Here’s what to do right now:

This Week:

1. Review your auto insurance policy – confirm you have comprehensive coverage
2. Identify your comprehensive deductible amount
3. Program local non-emergency police numbers into your phone
4. Review Franklin Police’s safety tips with other drivers in your household

Every Drive During Deer Season:

1. Stay alert, especially at dawn and dusk
2. Reduce speed in high-risk areas
3. Scan roadsides continuously
4. Remember: brake firmly, don’t swerve

If the Worst Happens:

1. Ensure everyone’s safety
2. Call police using the appropriate number
3. Document the scene if safe to do so
4. Contact Benton White Insurance immediately

We’re Here to Help

At Benton White Insurance, we’ve helped countless Middle Tennessee drivers navigate deer collision claims. We understand the stress and confusion that follows these unexpected accidents, and we’re committed to making the claims process as smooth as possible.

Contact Benton White Insurance today. We’re here to help you understand your options and choose the protection that makes sense for your situation and budget. At Benton White Insurance, we ask that you call us BEFORE you file a claim.  We can save you money and time.  – almost every time.  We can help you cut through all of that.
THANK YOU for your trust in what we do.  We’re here to help.  Let us help you if you have a claim. We will make it much easier on you for sure.

TEXT or CALL us at 615.377.1212 or EMAIL us at info@BentonWhite.com.  Also, on our website – BentonWhite.com, you can get more claim information and file a claim from the site.  Let us know how we can help you as we ‘earn’ your business!
Take the first step today. Your future self—and your peace of mind—will thank you.

Benton White Insurance
Protecting Middle Tennessee Drivers Through Every Season

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For emergency situations, always call 911. For non-injury deer collisions in Franklin, contact Franklin Police Dispatch at (615) 794-2513. Insurance coverage information provided is general in nature. Specific coverage depends on your individual policy terms. Contact Benton White Insurance for personalized guidance about your coverage.

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Sources:

• Franklin Police Department public safety announcement, November 2024
• Insurance Institute for Highway Safety deer collision statistics
• Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency