What happens when a deer steps out in front of your car on the interstate?
I drove a stretch of road tonight that was strewn with deer carcasses. What happens when you hit a deer with your car on the interstate?
Observing members:
0
Composing members:
0
26 Answers
You either leave it on the road or take it home to eat.
Then call your insurance company and report the damage. That is, if you’re still alive. A lady in Maryland, a few years ago, got killed when the deer’s legs came through the window and decapitated her.
Yes. What the above said. It’s really common in my part of the country too and luckily I’ve only hit one animal in my life (a deer, but I was going about 15mph and he was even still looking at me after I tapped him and he took off. Still ruined my night) but my dad is a trucker and has them run into him all the time. There are deer guards on the front of semis and trains in deer country. It tosses them off to the side without damaging the drivers. Oddly enough, it seems most of the dead animals did hit the trucks and trains. Few run out in front of passenger cars. If it were a major hazard, you could bet there would be more deer fences along highways.
That is going to be a really bad accident probably. It would be like any other accident, emergency vehicles would come. If the deer is badly hurt I think they would kill it to take it out of its suffering. When dead they would remove it. Dead animals are cleared off of streets and highways constantly, but it is not common on highways to see animals like local roads.
Here where I live if you hit one on the road your supposed to report it to the police and/ or the highway maintenance. They don’t let you take it home here. :)
Fairy goblins shed a quiet tear of despair?
If you’re going 65 miles an hour, do you brake? Swerve? Barrel through? I would hate to slam on the breaks, spin out, and be broadsided by traffic coming up behind me.
I don’t get on the expressway that much; mostly I do town driving, rarely over 35 mph. In these situations, I’m more at risk for deer jumping down from above me, in places where the roads are alongside a hill. I’ve known a number of people who totaled cars because a deer came down on the hood of their car or through a windshield.
With the way cars are made today, it wouldn’t be pretty. A deer can weigh between 100 to 300 lbs.
The faster you are going the larger the damage is to your car and maybe even yourself, and definetly to the deer. You figure the lower end of your bumper will hit the legs and the upper body will hit your windshield and hood. Not good for you. Unless you are driving a pick up truck. Hopefully your bumper is metal. Anyhow, there are a lot of variables.
Best to try to avoid hitting it if it is safe to do so because the road is wide enough and there are no other vehicles for you to collide with. Of course it could always get nervous and jump in the same direction that you decided to take.
Those things do a lot of damage to your car! My brother in law hit one a couple years back, and it totaled his van!
It happens a lot in NJ and the state recently decided they would not be responsible for deer removal on local roads.
If you blind it, it is a no-eye dear. If you break its legs, it is a still no-eye dear.
Usually animal control picks up the remains or, in my area, the Turkey Vultures and coyotes make short work of the corpse.
I live in an extreme deer infested area, and have been very lucky over the 20 years I have lived up here. Have had several run into me at low speeds but no deaths, or damage. I have called the Sheriff and local game warden on many occasions to ‘dispatch’ a wounded and dying animal.
I try not to be on my mountain roads after dark if not necessary.
I usually have a deer whistle on my car to warn them. Never hit one.
Supposedly speeding up or at least keeping your speed makes it more likely for the deer to survive. I don’t know if that’s true.
Anyway, if I can pull over reasonably well I almost always pick up any deer I see. I’m bummed the last one I saw was on a busy highway.
Generally, the birds will take care of the carcasses. Sometimes, The Fish and Game Commision officers are called and pick up the dead animal. The dead animal can also be given to civillians, at the scene, by Wildlife Officers. Its varies from state to state.
On the way to work one day, I witnessed a young man in a pick-up truck get hit by a deer. It jumped out of the brush on the side of the road and slammed into the driver’s side door denting it and snapping off the side-view mirror. The guy pulled over, and I went to check on him. Visibly shaken, he just looked at me and said, “What do I do?” I suggested that first take a photo of the deer that was on the side of the road but still kicking its back legs. Next was to call his insurance agency to alert them.
I gave him my business card in case he needed a witness and headed up the street to the police station to alert them of the accident and the status of the deer.
While vehicles are typically moving fast on the interstate, I’ve only seen deer make an appearance at night, and the traffic isn’t as heavy. From what I’ve read, it is better to break slowly and steadily.
@john65pennington, can you provide any insight on this? I’ve also heard the rumor of keeping the high speed up. I assume that has to do with not causing accidents with other vehicles, which can often be more deadly.
I’ve only hit a deer once though it was more like she hit me and I’m grateful that I was only going 35 MPH. I did what I was taught years ago. Pull over, call 911 (in this case my call went to the state patrol due to location) and wait for the authorities. Where I live we are given the option of taking the deer. I got my my police report, drove home and called my insurance company. On a highway I would assume the process is the same, though you might not be driving the car home. My reaction would depend on the traffic situation. If it were very busy, I would try to avoid hurting people & vehicles first, with whatever maneuver I would be able to manage.
One of the saddest things I have ever seen was a magnificent buck that was hit by a car. The game warden said he had a broken pelvis. The poor darling was literally dragging himself across the road on his front legs, no mobility left in his hind quarters. I was beside myself in sheer agony watching him as I waited for the game warden to arrive. The poor thing drug himself about 50 yards to a fenced pasture and was trying to push his way through the fence. The warden arrived and I covered my ears as he shot him. Just about killed me. :-(
The thing is, any attempt at trying to ‘comfort’ a wild animal just increases their terror. So all you can do is watch. Horrible, horrible sight.
Last week, I saw a huge dead deer by the side of the road, practically in downtown Cincinnati (Columbia Parkway near Bains Street). It must have come down from Mt. Eden. Huge dear.
1) You report it for insurance purposes
2) One of three clean it: vultures, Fish & Game Dept., or Kids that got drunk under age and are now doing community service.
If you catch yourself in this situation, hit the breaks as firmly as safety will allow. Do not swerve. It is not worth risking your safety for a deer. Sometimes it will jump out of the way. Sometimes it will not. In this case, your goal is to hit it with as little force as possible, which will happen if you brake as much as possible. Swerving will either get you sledding off the side of the road, or hitting oncoming traffic.
@kaciepaxton, I think you would only call 911 if there is an injury to a person, or you ended up obstructing traffic. I would probably call AAA, and then my State Farm agent to deal with the aftermath. I never thought about whether collision or comprehensive covered deer collisions.
@BarnacleBill I think you might call 911 (or the non-emergency version of it) to get a police report done if you are going to report it. But I’m not sure if you have to do that at the scene of the collision or if you can wait until you get home.
I’m just guessing as I’d guess you need some form of evidence to provide the insurance company, unless they send an inspector to your home or a garage…
If you hit it, call the cops and your insurance. You can usually take the deer after they tag it and release it to you.
If you take the deer without permission you can get into some serious trouble. If you choose not to take the deer it is usually pulled to the side of the road and left for the coyotes and vultures.
@WestRiverrat I’m not sure what part of the world you are from but in Florida, (and deer carcasses left from cars are common here), they make the bad kids doing community service dig a hole in the ground by where the deer was hit, roll it in, and bury it.
I can see rural areas leaving it out though.
I know a company in North Carolina that will also pick it up, clean it, stuff it, and sell it as a non-violent method of selling stuffed animals. (I forget the proper term for embalmed animals for display, what is it? I’m just at a loss for the word right now)
Taxidermy ! ! ! BOOM! LOL
Answer this question 
