A woman recently died in a car accident involving a deer. The force of the collision made her vehicle flip over and catch fire. This tragic accident is illustrative of just how serious collisions between motor vehicles and wildlife can be.
Drivers and passengers in vehicles that collide with wildlife are often severely injured or killed in the crash. Medium and large wildlife like deer, bear, moose, and elk cause forceful impacts when they are struck by a moving vehicle, whether the vehicle collides with the side of the animal or the animal is tossed into the air and lands on top of the car. If the animal becomes airborne, vehicle occupants could be crushed if the animal lands on the roof of the car. If the animal lands on the front or the rear of the vehicle, it can shatter the land hurt or kill the people inside the car. Sometimes, such as in the situation that is described above, collisions involving animals can even cause vehicles to overturn, leave the roadway, or both, which further increases the risk of serious injury or death.
Many wildlife-related wrecks happen at night, or at dusk or dawn. These are the times of day when many animals are on the move, and they are also times when it’s hard for drivers to see animals that may be present in or near the road. The frequency of animal-related crashes often corresponds to the changing of the seasons because migration, hunting seasons, mating, and other factors which affect the movements of animals follow seasonal patterns.
Wildlife can be present anywhere along the roadway, but certain types of landscapes make it more likely that you will encounter animals there. For example, deer are often found near open fields and moose frequent swampy areas. In places where there are trees or other plants close to the road, wildlife can be hard to see until they are actually on the road. As if avoiding animals in the road was not difficult enough already, some animals, like deer, are often found in groups, which can contribute to an increased accident risk. If you are driving and you see one deer, carefully scan the area for others that may be nearby before continuing along the road.
If you are driving and you cannot safely avoid hitting an animal that is on the road, try to hit it from an angle. Colliding with an animal from an angle increases the chance that the animal will be deflected away from your car instead of throwing it into the air. If you do hit an animal with your vehicle, be sure to call the police, so that the animal can safely be removed from the roadway and the accident can be properly documented. It is important that the crash is documented properly because insurance companies occasionally try to avoid paying on claims for damages in accidents involving wildlife when a police report has not been filed.
Barrett Law PLLC: Helping Automobile Accident Victims Across Mississippi
Sometimes, a driver cannot avoid a collision with a wild animal. If you got hurt in a wildlife-related car crash, contact a Mississippi Automobile Accident attorney right away. Your attorney might be able to help you to pursue a claim for damages while you focus on healing your injuries and repairing or replacing your vehicle. The Mississippi Automobile Accident Attorneys at Barrett Law PLLC are here to help you, so please call us today, at 1 (800) 707-9577 to schedule a consultation.