Motorists report more run-ins with deer

Motorists don’t kill as many deer in Washington and Idaho as hunters do, but considering that roadkill incidents are accidental, the numbers are alarming to at least one insurance carrier.

The 1,629 Washington drivers filing claims after crashing into deer during the year ending June 30 represented a 19 percent increase compared with the previous 12 months, according to State Farm Insurance. In Idaho, claims also rose – from 607 to 724.

State Farm insures one in five vehicles in Washington, said spokeswoman Nancy Carpenter. Claims at other insurers may not match the rate at State Farm, but if they did, that would have equated to more than 8,000 deer-vehicle accidents last year in Washington.

Washington hunters kill about 40,000 deer a year.

With many large animals migrating this time of year, drivers need to pay particular attention, Carpenter said.

“A deer is going to cause a lot of damage if you hit it,” she said.

Deer are most active in the evening, so be on the lookout especially at that time. And remember that where there is one deer, there likely are others nearby.

Drop pounds, save dough

Each extra pound on Americans’ growing waistlines contributes to about 39 million gallons of additional gasoline being used each year, according to researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. At $3-a-gallon prices, that would total $2.8 billion for all overweight Americans.

The study concluded that losing weight will save people money on gas because decreased weight in a vehicle increases gas mileage.

But the study overlooked other ways that losing weight can help people save gasoline.

If walking to and from work or the store is part of your weight-loss plan, that could cut down on time in the car and on fuel consumption.

And how about all the gas you’ll save by not wasting time idling at the fast-food drive-through?

Sky-high prices

Airfares continue to climb in the United States, and the cost of flying out of Spokane International Airport is increasing at a faster rate than the national average.

Spokane airfares increased 11.53 percent between the second quarter of 2005 and the second quarter of this year, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. That placed Spokane at the 35th-highest rate of change among the country’s top 85 airports.

It could be worse. Prices in Cincinnati increased by almost 34 percent during the same period. Other cities in the top five for ticket-price increases were Charleston, S.C.; Savannah, Ga.; Greensboro/High Point, N.C.; and Raleigh/Durham, N.C.

Prices dropped in only two cities: Lihue and Kahului, Hawaii.

Driver’s ed refresher

A pickup driver crashed into a Seattle firetruck on the side of Interstate 5 last week, prompting the Washington State Patrol to issue a reminder that drivers are required to move over a lane if possible when approaching emergency vehicles with flashing lights.

The goal is to avoid such accidents by moving traffic away from police cars, firetrucks and ambulances.

If you don’t move over, the ticket is $101.

Slow going

Downtown Spokane

Post Street is restricted between the Post Street Bridge and Spokane Falls Boulevard daily from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Expect slowdowns.

Periodic single-lane closures on the Maple Street Bridge will occur through early November for painting and other maintenance work.

North Spokane

Signal work on Waikiki and North Five Mile Road could cause closures and one-way traffic. Expect delays.

Wheelchair ramps are being installed and crews are striping on Monroe Street from Francis to where Monroe intersects with Wall Street near Holy Cross Cemetery. Expect delays.

West Dennison-Chattaroy Road is closed from U.S. Highway 395 to Perry Road for striping.

West Plains

Hayford Road is under construction from U.S. Highway 2 to Sprague Avenue. One lane of traffic is open in each direction.

South Spokane

Freya Street is scheduled to be open this week, but be on the lookout for crews doing some finishing work.