COLDWATER, MI (WLKI)- Branch County drivers are being urged to use extra caution as the annual fall increase in vehicle-deer crashes continues across southern Michigan.
The Branch County Sheriff's Office reported 26 vehicle-deer crashes in the county during the past week. Shorter daylight hours, fall harvest activity and the peak of the white-tailed deer breeding season all contribute to more frequent and less predictable deer movement, particularly around dawn and dusk.
Michigan remains among the states with the highest risk of deer-vehicle crashes. Statewide, more than 58,000 deer crashes were reported last year, according to the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning. Those crashes resulted in more than 1,700 injuries and 13 deaths.
Branch County recorded 981 vehicle-deer crashes last year, ranking 24th among Michigan's 83 counties for total deer collisions.
Safety officials recommend motorists reduce speed during low-light travel periods, scan roadsides carefully and remain alert in wooded areas and near fields. Drivers are also advised to keep both hands firmly on the wheel if a deer enters the roadway.
Officials caution against swerving sharply to avoid a deer, as a sudden maneuver can lead to a more serious crash involving another vehicle, tree, ditch or other roadside hazard.