At the post recently there have been a number of people who come in and wish to report car-deer accidents the day after or even up to a week after the accident. This becomes a huge problem if they have not reported it to central dispatch because if we are not able to investigate the crash at the scene or have no record of the accident, we don’t know if they really hit a deer or if they hit a tree, person, or another car.

Michigan Vehicle Code MCL 257.619 discusses “Accidents; duties of driver.” This section states, “The driver of a vehicle who knows or who has reason to believe that he or she has been involved in an accident with an individual or with another vehicle that is operated or attended by another individual shall do all of the following: … Give his or her name and address, and the registration number of the vehicle he or she is operating, including the name and address of the owner… and exhibit his or her operator’s or chauffeur’s license to a police officer, the individual struck, or the driver or occupants of the vehicle with which he or she has collided.” Also to “Render to any individual injured in the accident reasonable assistance in securing medical aid or arrange for or provide transportation to any injured individual.”

The specific statute that requires you to report anytime you have been involved in an accident is MCL 257.618. It covers, “Accidents; … reporting to police agency or officer.” Section 257.618(1) states, “The driver of a vehicle who knows or who has reason to believe that he has been involved in an accident upon public or private property (when there is an injury) that is open to travel by the public shall immediately stop his or her vehicle at the scene of the accident and … immediately report the accident to the nearest or most convenient police agency or officer …” This includes car-deer or any other animals you hit, sliding off the roadway causing damage to your vehicle or someone’s property, to colliding with another vehicle. If a driver fails to report the accident, the driver could be charged with a misdemeanor and spend up to 90 days in jail with a $100 fine. Under MCL 257.217a, if the driver has reason to believe they were involved in an accident that caused injuries to an individual, but leaves the scene, they could be found guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by one year in jail and fines up to $1,000.

Overall, when it comes to accidents, the best thing to do is report the accident to local law enforcement while still at the scene to avoid being charged with leaving the scene of the accident. You can contact your local dispatch center on the non-emergency line, (Alpena County Central Dispatch: 354-9111) and when a dispatcher answers, simply tell them it is not an emergency and you have been in a car-deer accident. After contacting dispatch, you will still need to follow up with a police officer to file the formal report. If you believe there is the potential for any injuries or the accident may cause harm to others, please dial 911.

If your vehicle is drivable after a car-deer accident, it is in the driver’s best interest and a benefit to them when they contact the local dispatch centers, as there is a record that they initially attempted to report the accident. When a driver does not contact dispatch and is then report to police a few days or even a week later, how can that officer officially say the driver hit a deer? Maybe that driver hit a tree, guard rail, or may have even been intoxicated when it happened and failed to report it on purpose.

Ashley Simpson is a Community Service Trooper for the MSP Alpena Post. If you have a question for Trooper Simpson, you can email her at asktroopersimpson@gmail.com or mail them to Ask A Trooper, Michigan State Police Alpena Post, 3283 W. Washington Ave, Alpena, MI 49707.