It is that time of year again – The time of year when deer start running into the street and getting hit by cars! In the Fall and Winter, we see many cars that have been in collisions with deer. It is amazing how much damage these animals can do to a car! In our experience, about 75% of the damage is to the front of vehicles when they strike a deer – usually hitting the bumper, grille, headlights, hood, and front fenders. However, there are cases where the deer actually runs into the side of the vehicle or even gets hit trying to jump over it! Airbags are rarely deployed in most deer collisions, the complex sensors and computers in the safety restrain systems usually determine they are not necessary. The latest available data shows that there were over 1,600 deer collisions in the state of Maryland alone! I believe that this number is actually much higher.
So what can you do to avoid a deer accident? Unfortunately, not much. Deer usually dart across roads from open spaces and woods, and it is very difficult to choose where your road travels! We have found that deer whistles and other preventative devices really don’t do much either. My most important advice is this – HIT THE DEER, DO NOT SWERVE AND TRY TO AVOID IT! I know this is difficult to do as you only have a spit second to avoid the animal. Hitting a deer is not fun, but hitting another car or skidding off the road is MUCH worse. In addition, most insurance companies classify animal accidents under your Comprehensive coverage, NOT Collision. This means you will usually not be charged with an at fault accident, and in many cases your deductible is reduced.
As long as deer and cars are sharing the same spaces, we will continue to have accidents. If you are involved in a deer collision, or any other accident, Please make sure you take your car to a qualified auto body shop like Frederick Auto Body. Your car is a very expensive asset, and proper repairs are important to keep your car safe and to protect your value.