MICHIGAN (WXMI) — The chance a driver hits a deer could go up this week.
A new study shows the end of daylight saving time causes a 16% increase in collisions between deer and vehicles.
Experts say while the shift to standard time each fall leads to factors that make it harder to spot a deer before it’s too late, like less sunlight and visibility, a deer’s animal instincts also come out during these months.
“This time of year, I like to say that deer are just not in the right state of mind,” said Chad Stewart, the deer, elk, and moose management specialist at the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.
According to Stewart, October and November are peak breeding season for deer, who move around to look for mates.
“Deer are polygamous,” said Stewart. “A male will breed as many females as he can. There's a lot more movement, a lot more activity at this time of year, and that certainly puts them in a lot more jeopardy in crossing roads where they are more likely to get struck.”
There are an estimated two million deer in Michigan.
In 2021, more than 50,000 deer died across the state in deer-vehicle crashes. About 1/3 happened in the fall months.
Stewart says while crashes can happen anywhere, deer tend to prefer urban and suburban areas because of the green spaces and limited hunting opportunities.
“Deer are definitely attracted to the sides of roads because a lot of times, there's sort of an open sky above you, which means there's a lot of light, which means there's a lot of vegetation growing along the side of the road,” said Stewart.
In order to avoid a deer-vehicle crash, DNR recommends the following:
- Stay alert, awake, aware, and sober, and drive at safe speeds.
- Be aware of your surroundings, and be prepared for deer to dash out in front of you.
- Scan the roadside while driving, especially woodlots, fencerows, field edges, and areas near water, which deer use for feeding.
- Slow down. Be prepared to stop if deer are near the road. If a deer stops and stays on the road, do not try to go around it.
- Deer typically follow one another in single file, so if you see one deer, there are likely more nearby.
- Use high-beam headlights and additional driving lights to see the road better.
If a collision is unavoidable, drivers are advised to hit the deer, since trying to avoid one may cause a loss of control of the vehicle and more serious crash.
DNR suggests the following if a person hits a deer, although Michigan law does not require people to report deer-vehicle crashes to police:
- Turn on your emergency flashers, stay buckled up, and move your vehicle to the shoulder of the road if you can. If you cannot drive your vehicle, carefully exit it, and stand at the side of the road out of the way of oncoming traffic.
- Call the police to report the vehicle-deer crash.
- Stay away from the deer. A wounded, frightened deer could be dangerous.
- After help arrives, and if possible, document the incident, damage, and injuries in photographs.
- Do not assume your vehicle is safe to drive. Look for damage. Be prepared to call for a tow truck.
- Call your insurance company to report the vehicle-deer crash. You may need a police report number to start your claim.
Mandy Beroza, who co-owns AutoBody Xperts, says the shop receives a handful of cars each month that are damaged from deer.
“They were lined up this morning in the shop,” said Beroza. “They were coming in our tow truck and we kind of chuckled, like ‘Here we go.’”
She adds on average, damage from deer-vehicle crashes cost people $3,000 or more, although insurance often covers the cost of it. People are often left without a car for a few weeks while repairs are made, although she says recent supply chains issues can cause further delays.
“A lot of your general manufacturers are keeping up now, finally, but you have some vendors and things that aren't yet and they're having to get in from out of areas,” said Beroza. “Luckily, being that we have four locations, we kind of have some buying power, so that helps it.”
