Did you know your odds of hitting an animal with your car in the U.S. are 1 in 145? And the worst chances of that happening, specifically with a deer, are in November.

Autumn is the worst time of the year — we'll explain more about "the why" below. The months of October, November and December are the most dangerous. These three months alone make up 41% of all animal collision claims.

Mating season

The first factor for why collisions go up this time of year is because it is mating season, also known as rut, for deer. 

This lasts in full from mid-October to December, but peaks in November. 

(MORE: Deer keep coming back to your yard? Here's what to plant around your property line to keep them away)

During this time, bucks, male deer, spend their time chasing does, female deer. This makes their movement more unpredictable, especially across roads where they’re more likely to ignore incoming traffic.

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Daylight saving time

Deer are “crepuscular,” which simply means they are more active at dusk and dawn. 

Because of this, most accidents with deer happen between 5 and 8 a.m. and 5 and 10 p.m., which directly coincides with rush hour commutes, when humans are on the roads the most.

One other factor exacerbates this: daylight saving time.

(MORE: Love it or hate it: Why do we change time every fall?)

One study finds that collisions are 14 times more frequent in the two hours after sunset than before sunset — indicating the importance of traffic during dark hours as a key determinant of deer-vehicle collision risk.

When the switch from daylight saving time to standard time happens in fall, peak traffic volumes shift from before sunset to after sunset, leading to a 16% spike in deer-vehicle collisions.

The study also proposes that by reducing traffic after dark by implementing year-round daylight saving time, it would prevent 36,550 deer deaths, 33 human deaths, 2,054 human injuries and $1.19 billion in collision costs annually.

(MORE: 3 things you should never do when walking your dog in the dark this fall)

State-by-state risk

While the average risk across the U.S. is 1 in 145, according to State Farm’s most recent data, actual risk for a collision is really different by state.

(WATCH: Hilarious jump scare for deputy as ‘dead’ deer comes to life)

Here are the top ten riskiest states for a collision:

• West Virginia – 1 in 46
• Montana – 1 in 54
• Wisconsin – 1 in 62
• Pennsylvania – 1 in 64
• Michigan – 1 in 68
• Iowa – 1 in 81
• Mississippi – 1 in 81
• Virginia – 1 in 81
• Maine – 1 in 85
• South Dakota – 1 in 86

Safety tips

There are a few things you can do to keep yourself a bit safer from your car hitting a deer on the road:

• Stay alert in wooded areas and near posted deer-crossing signs. Pay particular attention between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. and during autumn, when collisions are most common.
• Slow down and scan both sides of the road, particularly between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m., when most deer-vehicle crashes happen.
• If you spot one deer, expect more nearby — they often travel in groups.
• Use high beams when there's no oncoming traffic to spot eyes reflecting in the dark.
• Brake firmly rather than swerving if a deer steps into the road. Swerving can cause a more serious crash with another vehicle or a fixed object than hitting the deer itself.
• Always wear a seat belt, and if a deer is in the road, tap the horn — a sharp, steady sound can startle it out of the way.

(MORE: Mountain lions are quietly solving one of the biggest problems on America's highways)

Content writer Ada Wood enjoys exploring the stories that science and climate teach us about our natural world and how it influences the way we live in it.