BENSALEM, Pa. – A man from Ambler was killed in a crash on the Pennsylvania Turnpike late Monday night.

State Police identified the victim as Ronald Knopman. He was traveling east on the PA Tirnpike between Bensalem and Willow Grove when his Ford Mustang collided with a deer crossing the major highway.

Knopman was pronounced dead at the scene.

AAA spokesperson Jana Tidwell said incidents like this are tragically frequent in Pennsylvania.

“The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety consistently ranks Pennsylvania as one of the top three states in the country for deer-related crashes and fatalities,” Tidwell said.

Between 2014 and 2023, more than 1,900 people nationwide were killed in crashes involving animals. Pennsylvania recorded 122 of those fatalities, second only to Texas.

Tidwell noted that many of these crashes occur during deer mating season, which runs from October through the end of the year.

“Deer are much more active than they typically are, especially in the early morning hours between dawn and the early evening hours of dusk,” she said.

Just last month, Action News reported a similar fatal crash involving a Malvern Prep student. Kevin Donahue was killed when the vehicle he was in struck a deer along Route 322.

Commuters we spoke with say deer-related accidents are a familiar hazard.

“Coming home over Church Road last week. (A deer) went right over my car,” said Mary Hannon of Somerton. “Right over the front of the car, yeah.”

“I had a brother-in-law, ex brother-in-law, years ago that hit one on his motorcycle, but he survived. Just a dislocated collarbone,” said John Robalik of Feasterville.

AAA recommends drivers take extra precautions in areas with high deer populations. These include staying alert during early morning and dusk hours, and using high beams, whenever possible, to improve visibility in the dark.

Copyright © 2025 WPVI-TV. All Rights Reserved.