Motorcycle Accidents Involving Deer Rise in Michigan, Study Reports
LANSING, MI — A recent study highlights the increased danger motorcyclists face from deer-related accidents in Michigan. Researchers from the University of Michigan-Sparrow Hospital, in collaboration with Michigan State University and Marshfield Clinical Health System, analyzed over a decade’s worth of data, revealing that 8.5% of reported motorcycle crashes involved deer.
According to the study, which appeared in the journal Wilderness & Environmental Health, there were 2,445 motorcyclists and passengers involved in deer-related crashes from January 2012 to December 2021. Of these, 509 succumbed to severe injuries or fatalities. The risk escalated significantly during non-daylight hours, with 24.1% of crashes occurring at dawn, dusk, or night.
Recent incidents underscore these findings. In August, a 60-year-old Harrisville motorcyclist died after colliding with a deer. Authorities confirmed he was not wearing a helmet. Another fatality involved an 80-year-old Yale man, who also died from a deer collision while unhelmeted. Additionally, a 26-year-old from Sand Lake was found deceased after a deer-related accident, despite wearing a helmet.
The study notes that motorcyclists are particularly vulnerable, with unhelmeted riders reporting more than double the rate of severe injuries compared to those who wore helmets. In Michigan, the peak season for deer-vehicle crashes is during the fall.
State Police reported a 4% increase in motorcycle-involved crashes, with 3,187 incidents in 2024. The fatalities rose slightly to 168 from 166 the previous year.
To mitigate these risks, researchers advise cautious riding practices at night and recommend strategies such as staggered riding patterns and infrastructure improvements to prevent deer from accessing roadways.