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Spring has sprung in Texas and lawns are starting to get green again. This means that the many species of animals here are getting busy again.

There are many mobile organic hazards on the road in Texas, and our encounters with them in cars usually end badly for them. You may strike a small animal and never even have noticed.

That means that statistics about these encounters are not always reliable. It's hard to pin down exactly how many people hit animals when many go unreported.

The data we do have usually means something so bad happened that local law authorities got involved. I saw a deer on the side of the road right across from my neighborhood that had been hit last month, and I doubt it was reported.

Over 1.5 Million Motor Vehicle Accidents In The U.S. Are Caused By Deer 

White-tailed deer are more active in the fall, and they cause many automotive fatalities every year in Texas. Imagine hitting that elusive 12-point buck you saw out in a pasture with a small economy car without a seat belt.

According to the Texas Department of Transportation, there were 39 fatalities and 1,850 injuries that resulted from deer collisions in 2020. Sometimes we don't come out on top when our vehicles have accidents involving larger animals.

If you drive after dark on Texas highways, you will sometimes see deer just hanging out on the side of the road. I always stay aware with my foot hovering over the brake.

Staying off the roads at night will greatly lessen your odds of hitting any animals. See where Texas ranks in this list of states where you are most likely to hit an animal.

LOOK: Here are the states where you are most likely to hit an animal

Hitting an animal while driving is a frightening experience, and this list ranks all 50 states in order of the likelihood of such incidents happening, in addition to providing tips on how to avoid them.