COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – You may want to use a little extra caution the next time you hit the road, as is the case most years in mid to late October through November the number of car versus deer crashes are on the rise.
In the last week the Branch County Sheriffs Department has investigated more than twenty such accidents with fifteen of those coming in the last two days.
In 2024, the Michigan Office for Highway Safety Planning reported 58,324 car-deer crashes statewide, resulting in 1,816 injuries and 14 fatalities. Nearly 44% of all car vs deer crashes came in the months of October, November and December.
In 2024, Branch County recorded 981 vehicle-deer crashes. Experts urge drivers to slow down, be vigilant, and avoid swerving if a collision is unavoidable, as that action can often lead to a more severe accident.
In October and November, deer are more active and travel over wider areas searching for mates. Male deer, in particular, become less cautious and single-mindedly focused on finding mates. They may dart across roads with little regard for traffic. The start of deer hunting season in Michigan can also push deer out of their normal protected areas and into roadways.
Deer are most active at dawn and dusk, so the overlap with commuter traffic dramatically increases the risk of a collision.
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