MICHIGAN, USA — Odds are you or someone you know has had a run-in with a white-tailed deer at some point in your life.
And the numbers show it.
A government affairs association that represents auto, home and business insurance companies in Michigan said 2022 saw the highest amount of deer-involved crashes in a decade.
There were 58,984 deer-involved crashes in Michigan in 2022, Michigan State Police data compiled by the Insurance Alliance of Michigan (IAM) shows.
That's an increase of 13% from 2021.
There's no surprise that most crashes happened in November, which is during peak rutting season. Nearly 11,000 deer-involved crashes happened in November 2022 alone.
Data shows 11 people involved in crashes with deer in 2022 died, and 1,633 people were injured. Those numbers are up from 2021, when such crashes resulted in 1,449 injuries and 10 deaths.
Michigan Counties With Most Car-Deer Crashes In 2022
- Kent County (2,250)
- Oakland County (2,009)
- Jackson County (1,652)
- Ottawa County (1,511)
- Lapeer County (1,500)
- Allegan County (1,491)
- Genesee County (1,459)
- Saginaw County (1,301)
- Washtenaw County (1,279)
- Calhoun County (1,267)
Regular firearm season started on Wednesday, and it's a great time to remind drivers to keep an eye out for deer.
“With hunters moving out to their blinds and out in fields across the state, we know it causes increased activity for deer who wander onto the roadway, and we caution drivers to stay focused and alert over these next few weeks in particular,” said IAM Executive Director Erin McDonough. “Our hope is to reverse this trend and bring down the number of deer-involved crashes through extra vigilance and proper driving techniques.”
“It’s so important to be mindful during this time of year, and to watch for deer and remember that when you see one, it’s likely there are more nearby as they often travel in groups,” McDonough said. “When deer dart out in front of traffic, the instinct often is to veer away, but it is important not to swerve as you will likely cause more damage or hit something or someone else on the road.”
There are some steps you can take to stay safe:
- Watch for deer, especially at dawn and dusk, when they are most active. If you see one deer, approach cautiously, as there may be more out of sight.
- Deer often travel single file, so if you see one cross a road it’s likely more are nearby waiting to cross. When startled by an approaching vehicle, deer can panic and dart out from any direction.
- Slow down when traveling through deer-populated areas.
- Always wear your seat belt.
- If a crash with a deer is unavoidable, brake firmly, hold onto the steering wheel with both hands, come to a controlled stop and then proceed to steer your vehicle off the roadway.
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