The number of deer-related auto collisions in the U.S. has increased by 7.7 percent over the last year, according to State Farm. The nation's leading auto insurer reports this jump follows a three-year period during which such collisions dropped 2.2 percent.

Drivers gearing up for holiday travel should be on high alert, as November is the month when deer-vehicle encounters are most likely. In fact, State Farm's claims data shows more than 18 percent of all deer-related automotive mishaps take place during November, with October and December trailing closely behind (second and third, respectively). These findings are not too surprising, when deer mating season is taken into consideration.

Of all U.S. motorists, those residing in West Virginia are most likely to encounter a deer while driving. For the sixth year in a row, West Virginia tops the list of states for deer-driver confrontations. Drawing upon its claims data and state licensed driver counts from the Federal Highway Administration (FHA), State Farm estimates the likelihood of a West Virginian striking a deer with his or her vehicle over the next 12 months is about 1 in 40, compared with 1 in 48 the year prior.