DEER-VEHICLE COLLISIONS (DVC):

LESSONS FROM A MICHIGAN STUDY

Krishnan Sudharsan
Public Policy Fellow
Public Sector Consultants
September 29, 2008
Problem Statement
 Over 65,000 deer-vehicle collisions
(DVCs) each year in Michigan; > 1
million nationally
 230% increase since 1982
 Average cost: $2,300 per crash (AAA MI,
2005)
 Total direct costs: $150 million; > $1
billion
 Indirect costs: health care, missed
work, etc.
 Underreporting rate of ~ 50% (Marcoux
2005)
 On average, 5 human fatalities/yr (~
2001 DVC Distribution, by County
DVC Distribution
0-500
501-1000
1001-1500
1501-2000
2001-2500

Ú
Ê
Ú
Ê
 Mental Model

DEER
+ LANDSCAPE

DRIVER
Study Area
 Monroe County
 Rural landscape
 Population ~ 150,000
 Washtenaw County
 Suburban/rural mix
 Population ~ 325,000
 Oakland County
 Suburban landscape
 Population ~ 1.2 million
 OAKLAND

N
WASHTENA
W W E

MONROE S
Annual number of DVCs and DVCs as a
percentage of total crashes for study area,
1999–2001

Monroe Washtenaw Oakland

Year DVCs % DVCs % DVCs %

1999 299 6.62% 1,759 3.59% 1,319 9.99%

2000 282 5.72% 1,638 3.29% 1,244 9.22%

2001 312 6.84% 1,633 3.57% 1,395 10.95%

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OAKLAND
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WASHTENAW
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MONROE
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 14
.

12
≤ 2 LANES
> 2 LANES
10
AVERAGE RELATIVE RISK

0
RURAL URBAN RURAL URBAN RURAL URBAN

MONROE WASHTENAW OAKLAND

COUNTY AND ROAD CLASS

 40

35 ≤ 2 LANES
.

30
AVERAGE RELATIVE RISK

> 2 LANES
25

20

15

10

0
LOW MEDIUM HIGH LOW MEDIUM HIGH LOW MEDIUM HIGH

MONROE WASHTENAW OAKLAND

COUNTY AND SPEED LIMIT

Frogger
Rural landscapes represented by
Monroe County
 Fewer DVCs are likely to occur
on medium-speed roads (45 to
60 mph) than high-speed roads
(> 60 mph)
 Be alert for deer, especially
while driving through upland
deciduous areas
 Watch for changes in landscape
structure (i.e., areas that
provide cover for crossing,
Example
Mixed landscapes represented by
Washtenaw County

 Greater number of DVCs are

likely to occur on medium-speed
(45 to 60 mph), > 2-lane roads
than high-speed (> 60 mph), >
2-lane roads
 Watch for deer when passing
through agricultural areas and
upland openland areas (grasses,
forbs, high nutrition)
Suburban landscapes represented
by Oakland County
 Traffic volume is so high that few
options exist to reduce total
number of DVCs
 Greater number of DVCs are
likely to occur on medium-speed
(45 to 60 mph), > 2-lane roads
than high-speed (> 60 mph)
 Be alert for deer at all times, but
especially in agricultural and
upland openland areas
 Seasonal variation in DVCs in Michigan
(1999-2001)

50000
.

40000
Number of DVCs

30000

20000

10000

0
January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December
DVCs, by Time of Day

5000
4500
4000
3500
.
Number of DVCs

3000
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0
13

16

19
1

10

22
Hour
Inferences

DVCs are not random

There ARE actions that can be
taken to reduce DVCs
“Place” matters! (Be aware of
transitional areas)
Season and time of day when
you drive matter
What to do if a deer runs in front of
your vehicle?
Don’t swerve
Brake firmly if there are no
vehicles behind you
Hold on to the steering
wheel
Stay in your lane
Bring your vehicle to a
controlled stop
The French Solution
Acknowledgements
 Dr. Shawn Riley, Advisor, MSU
 Mark Coscarelli, Vice President, PSC
 Jeff Williams, Senior Vice President,
PSC
 April Bennett, MUCC
 Donna Stine, MUCC
Thank You