GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Within a week and the span of a few miles in Kent County, two people were killed in car crashes involving deer.
But according to data collected by Michigan State Police, vehicle collisions with deer are down in the state. In the early 2000s, there were more than 2,000 collisions per year statewide. In the past three to four years, the number has fallen to around 1,500.
According to the Office of Highway Safety Planning, Kent County ranked second in the state for the number of car-deer crashes last year. That makes sense considering Grand Rapids is the second-largest city in the state but the county also has plenty of wooded areas for deer to live and breed.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources says there is a slight increase in the deer population over last year, but the population in still down from between five and 10 years ago.
Full Story on WOODTV8