a car about to hit a deer on the road

Car Hitting a Deer- Immediate Steps

Deers are most active at dawn or dusk when searching for food. They can mostly be seen alongside the roads or on the roads in the October or November months. Mostly they are in the form of the group so that they can be spotted easily but it can be possible that one deer can come suddenly on the road in front of your car.

What to Do If Your Car Hit a Deer?

Even if you are driving safely and slowly, still there are chances for auto-deer collision. This collision can harm the car and injure the deer, so you must know what to do when your car hits a deer.

Move Your Car At Side  

When your car has accidentally hit a deer, don’t panic. Keep your car at the side of the road, so other vehicles can easily go their way. There can be other deers coming this way as they are mostly in the form of groups. They can consider this a threat and can harm you and your passengers. 

Your Safety First

Check yourself and your passengers for any injuries or wounds. If there is no severe damage happened to you, then check your car for damage. 

Call the Authorities 

If the deer is wounded and threatening the other vehicles to pass through the road, you have to call 911 or the police. Briefly tell them the situation. If the accident has caused injuries to you and your passengers, or damaged the vehicle, you have to fill out an official report. This report can also help you with insurance claims.  

Document the Incident 

It is important to document the incident because it will help you with your insurance claims. You can take pictures of your car damage, injuries of you and your passengers, and your surroundings. If the witnesses are not comfortable with taking pictures, you can take their contact numbers. 

Stay Away From The Animal

After the collision, if the deer is still there, it means it is injured. Most of the time, animals run away from the spot considering it a threat situation. But if it's there, stay away from the animal as it can harm you. 

Contact Your Insurance Company

You must have to contact your insurance company as soon as possible. You can also provide the documentation, that you have collected, of the accident. 

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How Your Insurance Can Help You With This?

When your car hits a deer, this collision can result in damage to your car and injuries to you as well. During this event, there are two ways by which your insurance company can help you, Comprehensive insurance coverage and Collision insurance coverage. 

Comprehensive Coverage

A comprehensive coverage involves animals like deer hitting with car or damage caused by animals such as raccoons tearing the car seats or damaging the car wires. So, if you are living in an area with such animals that can damage your car, comprehensive coverage can help you out with this. 

It also includes natural disasters like floods, hail storms, lightning strikes, or your car caught by fire. 

Scenarios that cover comprehensive coverage involve:

  • Your car hits a deer or other animal
  • An animal hit your car
  • An animal gets into your car and damages it.

Collision Coverage

Everyone needs to drive safely but if a car-to-car collision happens or your car has gone off the road and bumped into a curb collision coverage can save you from financial headaches.

Medical Coverage

When your car hits a deer, it may result in injuries and wounds to you and your passengers. If the collision was not massive and the injuries can be healed easily with little care then you do not need medical coverage. But if it was a massive collision resulting in open wounds, then you may need emergency treatment. In such cases, your all medical bills are covered if you have any medical insurance. 

But always remember, to inform your insurance company about the whole incident. Your insurance agent will do the rest to provide you with the best coverage possible.

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