Overall the Eaton County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to 833 calls for service/events. Our higher call volumes occurred in the following areas: Traffic Stops-215, Suspicious Subject/Situation/Vehicle-57, Traffic Violations-35, Assist Citizen/Motorist Assists-34, Check Well Beings-34, Car/Deer Accidents-29, Alarms-26, Shoplifting Complaints-21, Traffic Hazards-19, Domestic Disputes-16, Property Damage Crashes-15, Disorderly Person or Subject-14, Larcenies-13, Civil Complaints-11, Unwanted Subject-11, and Personal Injury Crashes-10.
Don’t Veer for Deer - As the deer population becomes more active this fall, residents potentially will be faced with more deer encounters on the roadway. Knowing how to react to deer on or next to the road is important to the safety of the driver and their passengers.
The best course of action when faced with a deer in the road is to brake firmly while staying in your lane, even if it means you are going to hit the deer. Most deer crashes occur in the fall according to statistics, and on average vehicle-deer crashes result in 10 motorist fatalities each year. Statistics show in most vehicle-deer crashes, death and injury occur when drivers veer from their lane, hitting another vehicle or a fixed object such as a tree.
The following tips can help you avoid a serious problem with encountering a deer on the road:
- Stay aware, awake, alert, and sober.
- Wear your seat belt.
- Watch for deer crossing signs.
- Be more alert in the fall and spring, but keep in mind deer crashes can occur at any time.
- Deer travel in groups. If you see a deer, slow down, as there may be others close by.
- Be alert for deer at dawn and dusk. Over 90 percent of deer crashes occur during these times.
- Do not swerve when faced with a deer in the road. Brake firmly, stay in your lane, and bring your vehicle to a controlled stop if possible.
These are a few important rules which can help keep you safer when encountering a deer. For more
information on deer crashes and safety, please visit the Michigan Deer Crash Coalitions’ website at
www.michigandeercrash.com
Yours in Public Safety,
Sheriff Tom Reich