MASON, Mich — Local law enforcement reports Michigan's deer population has increased, leading to more deer-involved crashes on roads. Drivers need to know what to look out for during peak season.
- Michigan's deer population is roughly 2 million, leading to increased vehicle crashes according to state police.
- Peak danger times are dawn and dusk - if you see one deer, expect 2-3 more to follow.
- Don't swerve to avoid deer - police say it's safer to brake and steer straight into the deer rather than risk hitting trees or other vehicles.
It was a normal day of work earlier this spring for Grace Lowell until she left for her roommate's partner's birthday party.
"It was raining, I was on my way to my roommate's partner's birthday party," Lowell said.
Before she knew it, she experienced what many other drivers have before.
"I was like oh my god! I just hit a deer," Lowell said.
WATCH BELOW: Growing numbers of deer equal growing collision risks
That experience isn't unique, especially this time of year.
Lieutenant Rene Gonzalez with Michigan State Police says the numbers are concerning.
"We're seeing an increase in deer. Last year we counted 2 million deer in Michigan alone," Gonzalez said.
He says an increase in deer increases drivers' chance of hitting one.
So what can drivers do to avoid an accident?
Gonzalez says the first thing is to always be watching out, but especially at dawn and dusk.
"If you see one, there is probably going to be 2 or 3 more crossing over. So, slow down and stop if you have to," Gonzalez said.
If you see a deer too late, there are times where it's better to face it head on.
"We know a lot of our crashes are secondary where they try to swerve to avoid the deer, end up hitting a tree or another vehicle. We tell them to steer straight into it and brake," Gonzalez said.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources confirmed that a decrease in hunters can contribute to more deer. They said they "seek additional ways to manage deer impacts, from issuing out-of-season permits to help farmers address crop damage to evaluating approaches to reduce deer crossing at problematic areas on our roadways."
This fall, Lowell will be keeping a close eye out for deer and encourages neighbors to do the same.
"Just be more aware," Lowell said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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