So, You’ve Hit a Deer with Your Car

Deer rutting season is once again upon us, and you know what that means—no, we’re not talking about picking up a box of summer sausage. This is the time of the year where deer are most active, and the risk of striking one in your car skyrockets.

There are plenty of precautions you can take to avoid deer collisions, but sometimes, hitting a deer with your car is an unavoidable accident. So, Let’s take it step by step and go through the checklist of actions you should take, so you’re not stranded on the side of the road asking yourself, “What do I do if I hit a deer?”

What to Do After Hitting a Deer

Wildlifeinformer.com estimates about 53,000 mule deer and 650,000 whitetail deer in the state of Kansas. Meanwhile, Missouri counts 1,400,000 whitetail deer within their state boundaries.

That’s a lot of deer. If you live around Kansas City, the likelihood that you’ll one day run into this problem isn’t exactly low.

Let’s walk through the whole process, shall we?

Make Sure Nobody is Injured

The most important thing in any auto accident is to make sure nobody inside the car has been hurt. Basic safety measures like proper seatbelt and child harness use are crucial to this.

Do a quick check of yourself and all passengers, especially if the collision ended up putting your car in the ditch. A male white-tail can exceed 200 pounds, especially when fattened up for the winter, and this is enough mass to do a serious number on your car. Before you do anything, check everyone in the vehicle for possible symptoms of concussion or whiplash, including:

• Severe head pain
• Severe neck pain
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Dizziness or disorientation

Do Not Exit the Vehicle Yet—Call 911

Assuming the deer is injured and hasn’t run off, you should refrain from exiting the vehicle to inspect any damage until the authorities arrive. While deer are rarely aggressive with humans, a hurt or scared animal should always be handled carefully, especially if it’s an eight-point buck with footlong antlers.

Dial 911 immediately, and wait for the authorities to arrive to offer their assistance.

Contact Your Insurance Company

While you wait for help to get there, take the opportunity to contact your insurance provider. Depending on your coverage, personal injury or damage to your vehicle may be partially or even fully taken care of. Don’t file a claim just yet though—more on that in a second.

Once the Authorities Arrive

After first responders arrive—hopefully with some sort of animal control professional in tow—wait for them to give you the go-ahead before you get out to assess the vehicle’s condition.

EMTs may also want to check you for any potential injury. Once they’re satisfied that you and any passengers are in good shape, and the deer has been cleared from the scene, you can file a police report.

Quickly Document the Scene

This is optional, as you’ll also have time to do this more thoroughly later. It should just be a preliminary few photos of the general location, and a basic overview of vehicle damage. Assuming you’re able to, taking a few photos and videos of the location at the time of the accident can be beneficial when the time comes to file an insurance claim.

Move the Vehicle to a Safe Place

After you’ve filed a police report and inspected the vehicle, you have two options: drive it yourself, or call a wrecker. This will, of course, depend on just how much damage your vehicle incurred. Most accidents involving deer happen around either dusk or dawn, so visibility may be minimal. If your headlights are damaged, or you see fluid leaking, or the vehicle doesn’t drive straight, call for a tow.

When in doubt, better safe than sorry is always a good rule of thumb—do not move the car if there’s even the slightest question about its drivability, contact a towing service near Kansas City.

File a Claim

With the incident officially documented with police, and the vehicle in a safe place, it’s finally time to contact your insurance to file a proper claim. This will involve taking extensive photos and videos of damage to the vehicle, and maybe even having it inspected. Of course, your course of action will depend on your insurance coverage.

Schedule Service

Assuming your insurance doesn’t total the vehicle, you’ll most likely want to get any damage promptly fixed—after all, nobody likes being stranded. If you need to schedule auto body repair in Kansas City, McCarthy Collision Centers offer convenient locations for you to get:

• Front end alignment
• Paintless dent repair
• Auto glass and windshield repair
• Airbag replacement
• Suspension repair
• And more!

How to Avoid Deer on the Road

Now that we’ve talked about what to do in case you run into a deer, let’s check out some ways you can prevent it from happening entirely.

Drive Slowly

This one’s an obvious no-brainer. The faster you’re going, the longer it takes you to stop safely. It’s still the single best way to avoid deer collisions.

Never Slam on the Brakes

When a deer leaps out in front of the vehicle, it’s a natural reaction to try and kick that brake pedal right through the floor. This should be avoided at all costs, especially if roads are wet or icy, as they often are this time of year.

Never Swerve the Wheel

Another understandable impulse is to jerk the wheel to try to avoid the deer. This is one of the last things you should do, as it increases the likelihood of hitting a tree, a ditch, or even another vehicle. Limiting your speed, applying firm but gentle braking, and, yes, hitting the deer straight on is widely accepted as the best way to avoid injury.

Avoid Driving at Certain Times

It’s a common misconception that deer are nocturnal, when that’s technically not the case. Most deer are considered to be crepuscular, which is just a fancy word that means they’re most active around dusk and dawn. This is, incidentally, why most hunters do their thing in the wee hours of the morning, take a break in the middle of the day, then maybe go out again in the early evening.

So, the upshot here is that you as a driver should be extra vigilant when the sun is about to rise, and just after it starts to set.

Don’t Do the Whole “Turn the Lights Off and Gun It” Thing

If you ask some folks, they’ll tell you that you should kill your headlamps and maintain a straight course. This advice apparently stems from the argument that the headlights are what makes the deer prone to freezing, hence the old saying.

Since we just talked about how the majority of collisions happen around nighttime, we probably don’t need to explain why turning off the lights while cruising down the road is a bad idea.

Consider a Vehicle with Driver Assistance Features

Many newer models from popular McCarthy brands, like Chevrolet, Hyundai, and Subaru, employ Advanced Driver Assistance Systems, or ADAS for short. Most of these include some form of forward collision detection, as well as emergency automatic braking. This can be an especially effective deer alert for vehicles.

ADAS systems are not meant to be a substitute for safe driving practices, but they can absolutely help mitigate risk. If you’re in the market for a new car, ask a local McCarthy sales representative about your potential options.

Why Choose McCarthy?

With four convenient auto repair locations around the Greater Kansas City area, plus another in Sedalia, McCarthy Collision Centers is your one-stop shop. We offer:

• Access to 24/7 towing
• Free auto body repair estimates
• Compatibility with all insurances
• Authentic OEM parts
• Lifetime body and paint guarantee

We have all the parts, certifications, and experience you need to get your vehicle back on the road, pronto. If you have car damage from hitting a deer, submit an estimate online, or give us a call at 1-800-NEW-AGAIN.

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