Boston Car Accident Lawyer Blog
In Massachusetts during the winter, it is common for motorists to encounter deer. While it is sometimes nice to see these animals, when they are not on the road in front of a car, it can result in a serious car accident.
While hitting a deer is often nobody’s fault, the actions a driver takes when a deer jumps out in front of his or her car can be negligent and can result in serious personal injury to others, according to a recent news article from WKBW ABC News 7. As part of this news piece, a local sheriff was interviewed and discussed what a driver should do when he or she sees a deer jump out in front of the car, and, somewhat more importantly, what that driver should not do.
The first thing is that if you know you are in an area that has a large deer population and typically has deer on the road, you should drive at a speed that allows you to stop quickly should you see a deer on the road. This is especially true at night when it is much harder to see the deer.
In this case, a person hit a deer, and the deer came crashing through the front windshield, leaving a massive hole in the glass. The local sheriff said this driver came very close to being killed in the serious car accident, but managed to escape with only minor cuts from the broken glass and deer antlers.
What is important when you see a deer, other than driving at a controlled speed, is to apply brakes firmly but not to swerve to avoid the accident. Swerving is very dangerous, because it can cause you to hit another car, causing a serious car accident.
In addition to hitting another car when swerving, as our Boston car accident lawyers have seen, a swerving vehicle can cause other cars to swerve in a manner that results in a serious car accident. There are even car accidents where the car that initially swerved escapes the collision, but one or more cars are caught in the aftermath and are not so lucky as to avoid a serious crash.
If you are in a car accident that was a result of another car swerving, you may have a valid claim for personal injury following the accident. However, it should be noted that every case is different, and you should speak with an experienced car accident attorney about the facts of your particular situation to see if you have a valid personal injury claim.
It should also be noted that a driver will swerve unexpectedly for a variety of reasons other than when a deer or other animal is on the road. One of the most common reasons is when a person is engaged in distracted driving. For example, a person may be looking as his or her cellphone and texting. When he or she looks up, the driver may serve abruptly to get back in his or her lane to avoid an accident. This can easily cause another accident, and this is negligent conduct.
If you are injured in an accident in Massachusetts, call Jeffrey Glassman Injury Lawyers for a free and confidential appointment — (617) 777-7777.
Additional Resources:
Crash with deer leaves gaping hole in car, November 16, 2016, By Ed Reilly, WKBW ABC News
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Report: Fall River Teen Killed in Car Crash on Way to Prom, June 26, 2016, Boston Car Accident Injury Lawyer Blog