West Virginia has many rural and suburban areas where the deer population is plentiful. While these beautiful animals often wander around neighborhoods without causing you or your loved ones any significant trouble, deer present major hazards for motorists on the roadways. Deer are known to dart out in front of an unsuspecting traveler or casually stroll along their intended path. Both instances often result in an accident, causing damage to your vehicle, at a minimum, and injuring you or your loved ones in more severe cases. The best way to ensure you and your loved ones are safe is to avoid a collision with deer. However, if you or someone you know has been injured in an accident or incident from any of the aftermath of an incident with deer, contact Colombo Law today to determine your rights to relief.
Collision Safety
Hitting a deer can be scary. To keep you and others on the roadway safe, it is best to follow these safety tips if you find yourself rapidly approaching a deer:
- Do not swerve: Realistically speaking, everyone wants to avoid hitting a deer. After all, your instinct is often to swerve to try avoid hitting any objects, especially something as large as a deer. However, if you find yourself in a “close-call” situation, it is always best to hit the deer. There are several dangers of swerving for a deer on the roadway, including losing control of your vehicle, crossing into the lane of another traveler, and striking another object.
- Slow down: Instead of swerving, it is best to slow down your vehicle as much as possible to reduce the amount of impact. This will help minimize the damage and keep all passengers as safe as possible.
- Think safety: If your car actually collides with a deer, remember to think about your safety. You never want to stop in the middle of a road or highway. Instead, pull over to the side of the roadway if possible and turn on your hazard lights to alert other drivers. In addition, never approach a deer that has just been hit because the deer may be confused and identify you as a predator. Instead, attend to other passengers and cars involved, to determine if anyone was hurt. If any damage occurs to another motorist’s vehicle, be sure to contact emergency personnel to report the claim. You should also contact your insurance company to determine your options.
Here is a list of other tips so that you do ot become one of the millions of individuals who file a claim as a result of an incident with an animal each year.
About Colombo Law
Colombo Law assists clients located in and around West Virginia including in Morgantown, Fairmont, Clarksburg, Bridgeport, Kingwood, Grafton, Weston, Philippi, Buckhannon, Elkins, Parkersburg, Monongalia, Marion, Harrison, Preston, Taylor, and Lewis county. If you have been injured in an accident or incident but are unsure of whether you have a personal injury claim, contact Colombo Law today for a risk-free initial consultation to get you or your loved one the assistance you deserve.
