The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that there are close to 2 million car crashes that happen with deer each and every year.
These accidents cost roughly $1 billion in vehicle damage and take the lives of close to 200 people. More than 10,000 people annually are seriously injured. And these stats don’t even include accidents with other wildlife. Officials think that this number is actually much higher because people don’t always report traffic accidents involving large animals to local or state officials.
Currently, there is not even a reporting standard for these kinds of accidents.
Our Masachusetts injury attorneys are here to help you to avoid a car accident with deer as well as to help you to minimize your risk of injury or damage in the event of a crash. Please review the following safety tips and share them with your friends and family members before heading out on the road.
Driving Tips for Avoiding Accidents with Deer:
-Your best bet is to pay even more attention to the road when driving during dawn and dusk. It’s during this time that deer are most likely to be found on and along our roadways.
-Make sure that you’re extra careful during the months of October and November. It’s during these two months that your risks for one of these accidents are the highest.
-When traveling in an area that is known for its deer population, your best bet is to slow it down. The faster you travel, the less time you have to react to a deer.
-If you see a deer near the roadway, there’s bound to be more. They rarely travel alone.
-You want to make sure that you’re using you high-beam headlights when you’re driving in rural areas. This will help you to increase your vision and it will help you to increase your time to react to a deer that is hiding on the side of the road and who decides to jump in front of your car.
-Don’t rely on a car-mounted ‘deer whistle.’ These whistles don’t seem to affect deer and may result in drivers being less aware of their surroundings.
-If you definitely can’t avoid a car accident with a deer, it’s usually best to try not to swerve to avoid hitting it. You should brake and hold the wheel straight. When you try to turn the wheel to avoid hitting a deer, you can wind up causing yourself a worse accident. What can happen here is you can lose control of your car and you can spin out. This will result in a much more serious accident.
-Remain sober behind the wheel.
-Pay attention to the signs on the side of the road. Many of them will alert you of deer-crossing areas.
-Remember to always wear your seat belt. It’s the best defense against injury in the event of any kind of car accident.
-Don’t think that just because you’re at the highest risks for one of these accidents during October and November that the risks aren’t there all year round.
If you or someone you love has been injured or killed in an accident, contact Boston Injury Attorney Jeffrey S. Glassman for a free and confidential consultation to discuss your rights. Call 877-617-5333.
More Blog Entries:
Cash Aimed at Distracted Driving Enforcement in Massachusetts , Boston Personal Injury Attorney Blog, October 24, 2012
Parking Spaces Making More Spaces for Smaller Vehicles , Boston Personal Injury Attorney Blog, October 22, 2012