New Study Reveals Your Odds Of Hitting A Deer In Michigan

Every fall, Michigan's roads turn into a battlefield. On one side, Mitten State drivers are doing what we can to avoid giant chasms (other states have smaller ones referred to as potholes), and on the other side, Michigan's herd of 2 million or so deer who seemingly choose to have the majority of their meals roadside. The real fun kicks in between October and December, when whitetail deer decide they own the roads, and your odds of hitting one are at their best.

In 2023 alone, Michigan saw 58,806 deer-related accidents, making up 20% of all crashes in the state. So, what's the mathematical likelihood that your vehicle and one of our fine state's whitetails will 'collide'?

Michigan Deer vs. Your Car: The Ultimate Showdown

A new study released by State Farm reveals your odds of being involved in what the insurance giant calls an "animal collision." Now, no offense to Jake and his khakis, but "animal collision" makes it sound like a said animal; let's just randomly cho...A DEER.

Let's say a deer, who could ONLY have been playing Red Rover with his buddies across the street, decides to dart out in front of my truck at the last POSSIBLE moment, giving me ZERO chance to avoid it. Is that an "animal collision," OR is that a deer with a death wish who hates my truck?

Your Statistical Odds of Hitting an Animal/Deer in Michigan

When it comes to states where you are most likely to hit an animal, Michigan ranks #3 in America. Coming in at #1 is West Virginia, where State Farm says your odds of an encounter are 1 in 40. Next up was Montana, at 1 in 54, which just leaves Michigan.

RELATED: Michigan's Worst County for Car/Deer Crashes in 2023

Your odds of an animal/deer collision in Michigan are 1 in 59, followed closely by Pennsylvania (1-61) and Wisconsin (1 in 63). For an 83 county-by-county look at Michigan car/deer accidents in 2023, keep scrolling. For a closer look at the State Farm study and the full top 10, click here.