Operating a vehicle brings with it many distractions as well as necessary tasks such as monitoring your speed or watching out for reckless drivers. Another hazard to add to the list is wildlife darting out in front of you!
According to State Farm Insurance, 1.5 million auto-deer claims were reported in 2015. The average cost per claim was $4,135. Deer are the most common form of wildlife to cause accidents; however, there are also elk and moose depending on the part of the country in which you reside. Some drivers have also submitted claims after swerving to avoid hitting a raccoon and totaling their cars!
Below are some tips to consider in order to avoid hitting wildlife.
- Be alert. You should always be alert when driving, but this is especially important at night when it is harder to see and when animals are likely to scurry across the road.
- Obey speed limits and wear your seatbelt. Hitting an animal will cause significantly less damage to you and your vehicle if you wear your seatbelt and avoid speeding.
- Do not swerve. None of us want to hit and injure an animal, but attempting to avoid wildlife by swerving is not worth the possibility of hitting another vehicle or driving off the road into a tree.
- Use your headlights. At night your bright headlights are helpful in seeing at a distance. They can also aid in seeing an animal up ahead, allowing for extra time to stop.
- Brake as necessary. If someone is behind you, try to tap on the brakes to warn the other driver. Apply your brakes enough to stop the car before crashing into the animal if at all possible.
- Watch carefully at mealtime and during deer season.
If you have been injured in any type of accident, it is in your best interest to hire an experienced attorney to help you through this devastating situation.
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