While most of us will never be in an accident with a deer, there will be some close calls. Driving on the outskirts of the city or on the highway, one will no doubt encounter a deer crossing the roadway. Deer is most active at dusk and dawn, so that’s the time to be most vigilant about animals in the road. Even though deer can be small, they can still cause a lot of damage to a vehicle in an accident. While you have only a fraction of a second to react if you encounter a deer in the road, there are few things to do to minimize your risk of hitting a deer:
- Use high beams at night to see further when there is no oncoming traffic.
- If you see a deer, brake but avoid swerving, that can only make the crash worse.
- If you see one deer cross the road, slow down. Likely there are more to follow.
- Observe road signs indicating deer crossings and slow down, especially at night.
If you are involved in an accident with a deer, do not approach the animal. In most cases, the animal is still alive and can injure you. Move your vehicle to the side of the road if possible, turn on your hazard lights and call the police.
An accident with an animal falls under comprehensive coverage on your auto insurance policy. Take pictures of the damage and contact your insurance company at an earliest opportunity.
Bargain Insurance Connection can help you to make an informed decision on purchasing your insurance policy, just call us at 816.453.7722.