Driving is a very dangerous activity that almost everyone participates in every day often time getting into accidents with other drivers. The routine for handling a routine auto accident is routine for most, but what do you do when you hit a deer and some other animal. Many of us live in areas where road collisions with wildlife are a common issue for many drivers.
Whether you are from Michigan or Alabama, the issue is very real and knowing what to do is a critical precaution that will relieve much of the panic you may incur post the collision.
What Happens to my Insurance?
Many of us wonder if hitting an animal on the road will raise our rates or cost us out of pocket to repair. These are issues that are very important for you to know and they vary from state to state, provider to provider. For the majority of people rates will not go up as no fault is typically assigned in these situations. Wildlife is bound to get careless and these situations cannot be prevented.
If you purchase comprehensive coverage, your costs for repair will usually be fully covered. Collision coverage for most providers and states also covers wildlife collisions so you should not be very worried about your coverage but always double check to make sure you are covered.
How do I React after it Happens?
As I mentioned previously deer accidents are no small occurrence, with around one million vehicle/wildlife collisions occurring annually. Knowing how to react is critical for your safety as well as the safety of others.
1. Pull off to the side of the road, or the safest available area, and turn on your hazards.
2. Alert the local authorities by calling the police and explaining what happened.
3. Take Photographs of the scene of the accident as well as the damage to your car. Record the date it happened as well, documentation is important in any auto accident.
4. Keep your distance from the animal regardless of if it is wounded or dead. You could potentially become ill due to the animal or hit if it is still living.
5. Contact your Insurance Agent
6. Check the condition of your vehicle and asses its drivability
Cost
Auto incidents with wildlife cost on average about $3,400 dollars per collision, not the type of cost most of us enjoy paying out of pocket. Avoiding this cost is critical and requires you to stay alert and focused as well as adhering to the posted speed limit. By following this advice, you can more easily spot a dear or any other animal and react properly by slowing down and avoiding the animal.
For those who cannot avoid the animal it is recommended to drive a tad faster as the animal will be thrown over your car as opposed to through your window.
Conclusion
Avoiding wildlife is a simple task as long as you stay alert on the road. Considering the costs, you will pay for such a mistake it is appropriate for anyone to know how to properly drive and react when dealing with a potential collision. Some of us have the luxury of not worrying about such incidents and they have no idea how grateful they should be for it.
Eduardo Dieguez is a 1st generation American born Cuban that is currently in pursuit of his AA Degree at Valencia. An avid computer nenthusiast, Eduardo spends countless hours tinkering with electronics both new and old. Eduardo currently works as a creative writer at Insurance Land.