Avoiding car-deer crashes

MICHIGAN (NEWSCHANNEL 3) – As the weather gets cooler, your chances of hitting a deer on the roads increases.

The Insurance Institute of Michigan says Michigan ranks second for car-deer collisions, with 61,000 annually. That works out to 167 crashes every day, but half of all car-deer crashes occur in October and November.

Now, the Michigan Deer Crash Coalition is launching a public awareness campaign. The group says most crashes are avoidable if you drive cautiously, but if you do find a deer in the path of your car, do not veer off to avoid it.

"We want to get out that message, don't veer for deer," said Lori Conarton, chair of the Michigan Deer Crash Coalition. "Because the most injuries and deaths occur when people swerve to avoid a deer and end up hitting a tree or hitting another car."

In situations where a deer collision seems unavoidable, the best course of action is to hold onto the wheel, stay calm and try to slow down.

You can find more information on avoiding car-deer collisions at the Michigan Deer Crash Coalition's website by clicking here.