On Wednesday, September 28, a woman and her dog were in a vehicle-deer collision on Highway 47 north of Minneapolis. The crash happened around 7:30 a.m. Thankfully, both the car's inhabitants were uninjured. However, the buck did not make it.
Travelers were alerted to the crash via the Isanti County Sheriff's Office Facebook page. Highway 47 was closed down due to the crash and its subsequent fire. Her vehicle, a 2017 Dodge Journey, burst into flames after making contact with the deer. The driver, Pam Vandersteen, identified herself in the comments on the Sheriff's post.
Vandersteen wrote, "A big thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone that stopped to help. A huge thank you to the kind gentleman that helped me get everything out of my car that I could think of. Thank you to the officer and state trooper who were on scene. Paisley (my dog)sends her thanks to the officer that let her sit in her squad car. Thank you to the firefighter that made me laugh and to all the firefighters that helped die out the fire." She ended her comment with thanking her daughter for getting her back home and again reiterated a "Thank you, everyone" to all who helped her.
The Sherriff's Department also thanked the Dalbo Fire and Rescue Department and Leaf's Towing & Recovery for their efforts in assisting with the clean-up of the accident.
Unfortunately, collisions with deer are not uncommon. The Minnesota Department of Public Safety's Office of Traffic Safety has recorded over 6,000 crashes between vehicles and deer from 2016 to 2020. Out of the 6,218 accidents there have been 18 deaths, with the majority of them being from motorcycle vs. deer collisions. The state DPS also reports that there have been 124 serious injuries due to cars colliding with the state's deer population. Crashes are more prevalent during autumn but can happen at any time due to the state's large deer population, which includes the Minnesota Monarch buck.
Despite frequent collisions, the DPS does not recommend swerving if you see a deer in your lane. Instead, they encourage drivers to drive the speed limit and buckle up. Also, keep an eye out during high deer activity hours in the early morning and from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m.
READ MORE: Why Minnesota Deer Hunting Ranks Among the Best
