Deer-Car Accident: How to be Safe
The average number of deer-car accidents per year is about 1.5 million. This is a lot more than most people realize and the leading cause of these accidents in rural areas. Deer often cross the roads when they’re migrating or looking for food during early morning hours, making them hard to avoid because you can’t always see them until it’s too late.
If you are in Arizona and involved in a deer-car accident or injured in a collision with another vehicle, it is wise to seek help from Tucson Car Accident Attorney to guide you through your case.
Here are some things that will help keep you safe on the road:
How Does Speed Affect the Damage Caused by a Deer Crash?
Speeding up to avoid hitting the deer only causes more damage. Speeding increases how fast your car travels before and after impact, which results in greater force on the animal and your vehicle.
Slowing down allows you to brake sooner so that the collision doesn’t happen at all or happens at a much-reduced speed. The lower the impact, the less damage to both you and your car.
What Are Some Safety Tips for Drivers?
Always wear your seat belt, slow down when driving at night and in areas where deer may be present. If you see one deer crossing the road, there’s a good chance that others will follow close behind it, so keep this in mind as well.
However, if an accident does occur, don’t swerve to avoid hitting the deer. When you turn your wheel sharply, there is a good chance that it will skid or spin out of control and cause additional damage to yourself, along with possible injury to other drivers on the road.
What Are Some Precautions for Nighttime Driving?
Keep your headlights on high beam to brighten up the area and increase visibility around curves in rural areas where deer are more likely to be found.
Also, if you see one deer crossing the road or near your car, there’s a very good chance that others might follow behind them as well, so keep this in mind as well.
However, if an accident does occur, don’t swerve hard to avoid hitting the deer. When you turn your wheel sharply, there is a good chance that it will skid or spin out of control and cause additional damage to yourself, along with possible injury to other drivers on the road.
What Should You Do if You Hit a Deer?
Deer-related car accidents have increased in the last few years, so it is important to know how to react when one occurs:
- Stay in your car
- Call 911 for help right away unless another vehicle has run into you as well and is blocking the road.
- Wait until help arrives before getting out of your car to inspect any damage or injuries that may have occurred
- If there are people injured in other cars on the scene, check if they need assistance first
It’s always best if you can avoid getting into an accident with a deer.