It's That Time of the Year, Deer Crashes Reported in White Lake and Highland

Over the weekend three deer from three different accidents suffered life threatening injuries and had to be put down by White Lake Police officers.

"It's that time of the year," Chief Ed Harris said. "It's not something we enjoy doing, but it's something that has to be done. We live in an area where there is a lot of natural space, and a lot of deer."

Nearly every week for the last few weeks deputies in Highland, and officers in White Lake, have been called to the scene of a car/deer accident.

According to the Michigan Department of Transportation, on average, 146 car/deer crashes occur every day in Michigan.

The Michigan State Police said there were a total of 53,592 crashes reported in 2011, resulting in 1,464 injuries and eight deaths.

"It's important to understand that it's safer to come to a controlled stop whenever a deer is in your path than to swerve and go off the road," said State Transportation Director Kirk T. Steudle. "Don't veer for deer or swerve to avoid an animal because it can be more dangerous and even deadly."   

The following are tips from the Michigan Deer Crash Coalition on how to avoid dangerous encounters with deer:

• Watch for deer, especially at dawn and dusk.
• If you see one deer, approach cautiously. There may be more out of sight. 
• Deer often travel single file, so if you see one cross a road, chances are more are nearby waiting to cross, too. When startled by an approaching vehicle, they can panic and dart out from any direction without warning.
• Be alert all year long, especially on two-lane roads. Watch for deer warning signs. They are placed at known deer-crossing areas and serve as a first alert that deer may be near.
• Slow down when traveling through areas heavily populated by deer.

 For more information, visit the MDCC Web site at www.michigandeercrash.org.