So you find yourself driving along on your road towards the end of the day, when you suddenly shout out “Oh Deer!” as antlers of an astounding size smash into your front fender.
An automobile accident with a buck can be prevented – and shelling out some big bucks on the damage – by adhering to a couple of smart driving tips during the winter months. Every year, over one and a half million drivers hit a deer while they travel, and the winter weather months are the worst season for deer-vehicle crashes.
Deer-related accidents result in well over one billion one hundred million dollars per year in automobile damage, as found by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Typically, the accidents cost two thousand eight hundred dollars for each insurance claim, as much as ten thousand dollars if there ends up being injury to the driver or a passenger, according to the Insurance Information Institute.
Risks Extend Outside Rural Areas
Deer-related accidents happen all over the country, and aren't consigned to rural areas. The top ten deer danger states are:
1. Pennsylvania
2. Michigan
3. Illinois
4. Ohio
5. Georgia
6. Minnesota
7. Virginia
8. Indiana
9. Texas
10. Wisconsin
Drive Defensively To Prevent Deer Danger
The worst times for deer accidents fall at sunrise and sunset, since visibility is short and deer are generally on the move. Drive defensively! Anticipate the possibility that deer may be in the road so you can safely stop and avoid the accident.
The specialists at Charlie's Columbia CARSTAR, who fix countless vehicles each year from deer-related accidents, are pleased to give you the following tips to decrease the deer danger:
1. Use special caution at the hours of dawn and dusk, and around areas like golf courses, fields and woods.
2. Do not depend on things like deer whistles, which attach to the exterior of a vehicle, in order to discourage deer from entering your path with an ultrasonic or high-frequency sound since they haven't actually been proven to decrease deer-vehicle collisions.
3.If you see a deer on the road in front of you, don't swerve to avoid hitting it, as that boosts the danger of striking another vehicle or even totally losing control of your car.4.Report any deer left on the road to the game commission or any available local law enforcement agency, as the deer does in fact become a great danger to drivers that follow you. If the deer is alive after being hit, don't try to approach it since a wild animal with sharpened hooves can inflict injuries.
5.Don't forget that deer can sometimes travel in packs – if you notice one, there are likely others behind it.
6. If there's no oncoming traffic, utilize your high beamsat night to fully illuminate deer.
Preparation is Smart Protection
If an accident with a deer does happen, you will be thankful that you were protected. Many drivers simply don't understand that carrying only collision coverage will not help you when it comes to damage from an accident with a deer, leaving them with a wrecked vehicle and a huge repair bill.
To fully cover the damage, drivers ought to have thorough insurance that will cover such crashes. For those traveling in an older vehicle who are of the opinion that their cars simply aren’t worth the cost of insurance, it may be wise to keep an “accident fund” if something actually does occur.
For other tips on dealing with a car accident or having your car fixed after a collision, visit www.auto-body-columbia-il.com. Charlie's Columbia CARSTAR offers high-quality and reliable repair in Waterloo, Millstadt, Freeburg, and New Athens.