Mid-Michigan Rates Top in State for Deer-Car Accidents - WLNS TV 6 Lansing - Jackson | Your Local News Leader

New data released Wednesday shows our area has some of the highest number of car-deer crashes in the state. Jackson County had the third highest number in 2011, with a little more than 1,500 car-deer accidents.

Clinton County came in at 6th with just under 1,200 and Eaton County was 8th with about 1,100.

Tripps Auto and Collision Center has seen a dozen cars with deer damage over the past two days. Having a shop full of banged-up cars is normal at Tripps, but workers always prepare for the workload to get even bigger around hunting season.

"We see anywhere from 300-400 deer hits a year. This is our peak season for deer hits. Sometimes we'll have anywhere from 10, 20 even 30 accidents that are deer accidents a week," said Office Manager Brandon Tripp. "Probably 50 or 60 come out from the prison area. Just that mile stretch of road. Because there's no hunting out there."

Even though they're all the same kind of accidents, deer cause all different kinds of damage.

"We get deer accidents where maybe you just cracked a bumper, or crack a headlight. So maybe 3, 4, $500 worth of damage. I had a Buick in here this morning that had $9,000 worth of damage on it. We've had deer accidents with all the way up to 15, 16, $17,000 worth of damage," said Tripp. 

Experts say if you see one deer, slow down since there's likely more out of sight and of course pay extra attention around dawn and dusk.