An enormous Louisiana black bear was the lone fatality in a recent automobile accident. The bear is the largest that ever got recorded in Mississippi, and it tipped the scales at just under four hundred and seventy pounds. A woman was driving an SUV when she hit the bear. Her Chevrolet Suburban was severely damaged, but none of the five people who were riding in the vehicle at the time of the crash were seriously injured. Some of the people who were in the SUV when the wreck happened complained of pain afterward.
Bears are rare in Mississippi, and while some bears are trapped, weighed, examined, and fitted with radio collars before getting released. There are also bears in the state that do not have radio collars, so an exact count of how many bears are presently in the state does not exist. While bears are rare, there is always a chance, albeit not a large one, that a driver will encounter some other large, wild or domestic animal on the road. Depending on where you drive, you might see a deer, elk, cow, or horse on the road when you are driving. Knowing a few things about animal accidents can help you anticipate situations in which you might encounter an animal while driving.
About one and a half million car accidents get caused by animals every year. Many of those accidents occur at night because it is harder for drivers to see animals at night than it is during the day. Another because that’s when many animals are out and about. There are also seasonal variations in wildlife movement that affect the likelihood of a vehicle-wildlife collision. For example, deer are very active during hunting season.
Drivers should be aware that in wooded areas and other places where the vegetation that grows next to the road is tall, animals can appear on the road suddenly. This gives motorists little time and space to maneuver to avoid hitting them. Also, be aware that many animals travel in groups. If you see one deer by the road, scan the area carefully to see whether there are others nearby.
The people who were in the SUV that hit the bear are fortunate that they did not get badly injured or killed in the crash. Accidents involving large animals are often fatal. The size and weight of large animals create forceful impacts when they come into contact with vehicles. An animal that gets tossed into the air after getting hit by a car can crash through the windshield or even crush the vehicle’s roof. If you cannot entirely avoid a collision with an animal, try to hit it at an angle, so it will get deflected away from the car instead of getting tossed into the air.
Barrett Law PLLC: Serving People Injured in Mississippi Car Crashes
If you collided with an animal, you might be hurt, and your car is probably badly damaged. Automobile accident claims for accidents involving animals can be complicated, and the insurance company may require that a police report gets submitted before a claim can be paid. If you were involved in any car crash in Mississippi, a Mississippi Automobile Accident Attorney could help you file a claim for your damages or your loss. Call the Mississippi Automobile Accident Attorneys at Barrett Law PLLC, at 1 (800) 707-9577, to learn more.