Whether you are a hunter or an appreciator of nature, you no doubt hold deer close to your heart. This is reason enough for most Canada drivers to veer away from deer every time they see them on the roadway. However, there are some important dangers and safety tips that everyone should be aware of when it comes avoiding a car accident with a deer. If followed, Canada drivers will have a better chance of staying safe and accident free during this Fall’s deer mating and migration season.
First, drivers should know how important it is to use their high beam lights at night in order to illuminate the road ahead of them. If no cars are present ahead of you, then use the bright lights to see if there are any deer or other animals blocking your path. In the event that a deer is seen, then brake your car as quickly and safely as possible, but do not try to veer clear of the deer. Swerving could result in a worse accident.
In the event that it is necessary to actually strike the animal, let go of your brakes just before hitting it. This will give the front-end of your vehicle a chance to rise up so that the animal goes under the vehicle rather than straight into the windshield. Also, drivers should refrain from using cellphones while driving because the distraction could serve to take their eyes off the road. Finally, do not forget to buckle up because people who wear seat belts have a dramatically higher chance of survival in an animal accident.
If the animal involved in the car accident is a wild one, then it is not likely that drivers will be able to pursue personal injury claims for their injuries in the collision. However, if a passenger is hurt in an animal-related car accident case that was caused due to an inattentive driver, then the driver may be liable to the passenger for damages. Also, if the animal was a farm animal — like a horse, cow or pig — then the driver and any passengers involved in the crash may have viable personal injury claims to pursue.
Source: yourwestvalley.com, "Take care to steer clear of deer" Nov. 04, 2014