Deer and similarly large animals on the road can prove to be a serious safety concern for drivers.
In particular, the size of a deer is significantly large enough to smash in the front of most cars and trucks and be extremely dangerous for motorcyclists.
A deer is easily capable of producing a strong enough force to cause a vehicle to come to an abrupt stop and for airbags to deploy.
Injuries involved in accidents caused by deer, like many other types of car accidents, occur most pronouncedly due to the rapid deceleration before the impact.
In order to reduce the emergency situation of striking a deer on the road, drivers may use a few simple safety precautions.
Perhaps the simplest, most obvious safety tip is for drivers to recognize when deer most commonly appear on the road, and avoid forested areas during those times.
Try to stay away from forest-adjacent roads during dawn and dusk hours, as deer are most active during these times.
Additionally, deer are active from October to January as a part of breeding season.
Summer months are also problematic, as fawns become old enough to travel on their own for the first time.
The easiest solution to deer safety concerns is to keep lights on, pay attention, and slow down.
If a deer is spotted on the road, honking may not scare off a deer before the car passes by.
However, slowing down and flickering lights is a more successful strategy, as well as putting a person into a position to stop if the deer does not move.
A simple way to prepare for a deer to enter the road is to check for the reflection of light coming from their eyes.
If a driver suspects a deer is near and sees a small point of light from the side of the road, they should slow down and assume a deer is near.
For more information about deer safety, contact a car accident attorney.