Overall Eaton County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to 807 calls for service/events during the dates of October 31-November 7. Our higher call volumes occurred in the following areas: Traffic Stops-127, Suspicious Situations/Subject/Vehicle-52, Car Deer Accidents-51, Traffic Violations-49, Assist Citizen/Motorist Assist-40, Traffic Hazards-30, Shoplifting Complaints-25, Property Damage Crashes-25, Check Well Beings-24, Alarms-23, Domestic Disputes-21, Personal Injury Crashes-15, Unwanted Subjects-13, Larcenies-11, Civil Complaints-8, and Property Damage Hit and Run-7.
It’s that time of year again. The leaves are falling, the nights are cooler, and the deer are running. To avoid hitting a deer, use these defensive driving tips:
- Be especially attentive during peak deer hours - From sunset to midnight and during the hours shortly before and after sunrise
- Use extra caution when driving through deer-crossing zones. Be especially careful in places known to have a large deer population and in areas where roads divide agricultural fields from forestland.
- Know that deer seldom run alone. If you see one deer, others may be nearby.
- Use high beam headlights if driving at night, when there is no oncoming traffic. The higher light will better illuminate the eyes of deer on or near the roadway.
- Slow down and blow your horn with one long blast to frighten the deer away.
- Brake firmly but stay in your lane when you notice a deer in or near your path. Many serious crashes occur when drivers swerve to avoid a deer and hit another vehicle or lose control of their cars.
- Always wear your seat belt. Most people injured in car-deer crashes were not wearing their seat belt.
- Do not rely on deer-deterring devices. Deer whistles, deer fences and reflectors have not been proven to reduce deer-vehicle collisions.
- If your vehicle strikes a deer, do not touch the animal. A frightened and wounded deer can hurt you or further injure itself. The best procedure is to get your car off the road, if possible, and call the police.
- In the event a deer damages your car contact your insurance agent or company representative to report the incident.
Yours in Public Safety,
Sheriff Tom Reich