How to avoid hitting a deerThis comprehensive guide will help. The key is understanding how deer behave, knowing when they are most active, and what to do when you see them.

This may come as a surprise, but there were about 50,000 incidents in Michigan last year alone where a vehicle collided with a deer. But our home state is still behind West Virginia, Montana, Pennsylvania, and South Dakota in How to avoid hitting a deer: since they travel in herds, if you see one, it’s likely there are others close by.

You Just Hit a Deer: What Should You Do"

The tips above will minimize your chances of hitting a deer, but the unfortunate truth is that there?s no way to eliminate the risk entirely. Generally, crashing into a deer won?t do enough damage to render your car completely motionless on the spot. The best thing is to slowly pull off to the side of the road, turn on your flashers, and notify the police.
In the case that you only graze the animal and both you and your vehicle sustain minimal damage, you still need to alert the authorities. In fact, it is illegal here in Michigan to not report these sorts of accidents. Even if your car seems fine, pull over, report the accident, and talk to the police before continuing on.

Related: Stay ahead of winter weather with this comprehensive driving guide.

The Deer Is NOT Your Responsibility!

This is something many might feel conflicted about, but it?s important to understand ...