As a result of the abundance of public land, especially up north and in the upper peninsula, Michigan is home to one of the largest deer populations in the United States. This unfortunately exponentially increases the chances of you seeing a deer on the road compared to other states. State Farm, the largest auto insurer in the country, stated that the industrywide casualty claims data puts the odds of hitting a deer or any other animal on the road at one and 60 in Michigan, making Michigan the fourth most likely state in which a driver could hit an animal on the road. Here are some of the major tips that you should constantly follow while driving to avoid hitting an animal on the road, or at least minimize the damage as much as possible.

Keep Your Eyes on the Road

The easiest and most efficient way to avoid hitting animals on the road is by always keeping your eyes on the road. Most animals on or surrounding the roadway will usually be scared off by the sound or light coming off your car. However, some animals, usually larger ones, are not scared by the appearance of your car. Therefore, you must always keep your eyes on the road, keeping distractions to a minimum. If driving at night, look for the reflection coming from animals’ eyes further down the road or on the side of the road. Also, if you have a passenger, make sure that they are keeping their eyes on the road as well, especially during nighttime, to ensure that you and the people in your car always remain safe.

Keep in Mind the Time of Year As Well As the Peak Hours Throughout the Day

Even though you should remain cautious every time you are behind the wheel no matter what time of year it is, the time of year in which animal sightings on the road are most frequent is from October to December, encompassing both hunting and mating season. Also, animals are known to be most active at dusk or dawn between six and nine pm when most drivers find it difficult to see. Therefore, whenever you are planning on driving around dusk, be sure to always remain extremely cautious, especially during mating and hunting season.

Use Your Brights

The first step to avoiding accidents with wildlife on the road at night is turning your car lights on. Do not be afraid to use your high beams whenever possible at night to increase your visibility to wildlife. However, remain courteous of oncoming cars, and turn off your high beams when oncoming cars get relatively close.

Deer Travel in Groups

If you see a deer in or around the road, there is most likely another one or more behind it. Therefore, whenever you see a deer around the road, no matter how far away it is, reduce your speed and keep your eyes on the road. Other animals often seen in the roadway also travel in packs including elk and turkey.

Stay in Control

When getting in a collision with an animal on the road, the most important thing is keeping you and the people in your car safe. If you are to come into an encounter with an animal on the road, do not swerve to avoid the animal. Stay in control of your vehicle and hit the animal if necessary. Losing control of your vehicle or hitting another car on the road can cause way more damage than if you were to get into a collision with an animal.

Slow Down

The most important step when coming into an encounter with an animal on the road is reducing your speed. Make sure that you are constantly observing the speed limit, always going at or below it. The faster you are traveling, the less time you have to react to your surroundings. If you were to see an animal on the road, driving at a higher speed increases your chances of hitting that animal exponentially.

If a collision with an animal is unavoidable without losing control of your car or hitting another vehicle, the best course of action is always to apply the breaks while staying in your lane to minimize the damages as much as possible.

Animal sightings on the roadway can be extremely common in some parts of Michigan. Therefore, following these simple tips can decrease your chances of colliding with an animal, keeping you, the people in your car, and the animal safe while also avoiding any damage to your car.

Get David Get Paid

If you or someone you know has been involved in an auto accident and needs help, tell them to call Femminineo Law to Get David and Get Paid. Femminineo Law can be reached at 586-954-9500 or by contacting us.