Totalled avoiding a deer. NEED ADVICE
#16
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 381
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by FAST1
There's nothing you can do. Their position is that you should always have control of your car. The only thing that may help is if there were extenuating circumstance, like it happened at night and there were no street lights. Good luck.
It was at night in an area with no lighting and there are no deer signs. I know it's not a big deal but there not being signs may be a point I can use. The thing is I had my high beams on but two deer ran out from the brush right in front of me. I know I should have hit them but when something runs right in front of you what is your immediate reaction? Plus I wouldn't feel right killing a deer. With the car I was driving I think the accident would have been a lot worse had I hit the deer. The car is low and the deer was a pretty good size. Deer through the windshield doesn't sound enjoyable to me. Another point I am going to make is that I had to go off to the left, the hill side, because the other side of the road has a 10 foot drop after the curb and has trees at the bottom.
#18
well... if you took stunt driving class, you could have tactfully used your ebrake and imaginative steering to do a 180, and crushed the damned beast with your rear bumper, thereby making it the fault of the most likely uninsured deer.
However.
As you say, who thinks of such small technicalities when facing not one, but 2 deer at once? I certainly wouldn't. Maybe afterwards, I would've strangled one or two with my hands, but right before impact... I don't think so.
So... advice wise, as far as I know, the laws are pretty clear (in most states) about wrecking your car in an attempt at humane behavior by avoiding the deer: you are at fault. A lawyer will surely know more than the vast majority of us... did you sign any papers from the insurance company yet?
In any case, if you want a chance at a way out, talk to a lawyer whether you've signed insurance papers or not.
Most likely though, I think you're gonna have to bite it and bend over on this one. To help you relieve the aches and pains of **** pillaging due to this accident, go huntin'.
Otherwise, good luck.
However.
As you say, who thinks of such small technicalities when facing not one, but 2 deer at once? I certainly wouldn't. Maybe afterwards, I would've strangled one or two with my hands, but right before impact... I don't think so.
So... advice wise, as far as I know, the laws are pretty clear (in most states) about wrecking your car in an attempt at humane behavior by avoiding the deer: you are at fault. A lawyer will surely know more than the vast majority of us... did you sign any papers from the insurance company yet?
In any case, if you want a chance at a way out, talk to a lawyer whether you've signed insurance papers or not.
Most likely though, I think you're gonna have to bite it and bend over on this one. To help you relieve the aches and pains of **** pillaging due to this accident, go huntin'.
Otherwise, good luck.
#19
What sucks is that if you hit a deer the accident is filed as an "act of God" (why blame God? anyway...) this falls under your Comprehensive Coverage and does not increase your insurance premiums.
If you swerve and miss the deer and then hit a tree or any other object (including curbs/hills/etc...) the accident is YOUR FAULT and falls under your Collision Coverage.
The only advice I can give you is to drive really carefully from here on out. In the future, slam on the brakes, stay in your lane and pray the deer gets out of the way.
If you swerve and miss the deer and then hit a tree or any other object (including curbs/hills/etc...) the accident is YOUR FAULT and falls under your Collision Coverage.
The only advice I can give you is to drive really carefully from here on out. In the future, slam on the brakes, stay in your lane and pray the deer gets out of the way.
#21
Originally Posted by neffster
The only advice I can give you is to drive really carefully from here on out. In the future, slam on the brakes, stay in your lane and pray the deer gets out of the way.
Your best bet is to just be extra careful next time. But because we can't necessarily visualize your actual engagement with the deer is that your best bet is with a lawyer and your visual description of the area. The lawyer will generally be able to factor in some loop hole based on the area/surroundings/time etc etc. but like everyone has mentioned here has stated that Deer is considered Comprehensive, any act of avoidance would consitute you to be at fault. All i can say is best of luck to you and be more careful. stuff like this can happen to anyone, just be thankful you yourself are ok.
#22
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Trolling a forum near u.... (T.O.)
Posts: 2,966
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
wasn't there a police report filed the night it happened? i'm hoping there was and that they placed the fact that u swerved to avoid hitting the deer. if u weren't drinking and everything is kosher i think everything should come out just fine... but i would definitely recommend getting a lawyer to get some legal advice at the very least.
#24
Originally Posted by neffster
...so hitting a deer at 80 mph is better than hitting one at 20 mph?
BTW, the G's nose isn't going to drop 12+ inches in a hard stop.
![Confused](https://g35driver.com/forums/images/smilies/confused.gif)
BTW, the G's nose isn't going to drop 12+ inches in a hard stop.
As far as driving lets say you travel at at 40 mph and see a deer in front of you and there is no way to move fast enough without causiong your car to do an oversteer/understeer(depending on situation) you accelerate upto 50-60mph before impact, by accelerating and lifting the front end of your car you are minimizing the chances of the deer going through your windshield.
Last edited by nikko; 11-21-2005 at 09:54 AM.
#26
Nobody should be encouraging you to hit the deer.
Deer and Moose are real bad to hit head on because they fall on or go flying into the cabin of the vehicle when hit dead on... or through the windshield due to the height of the animal. The car takes out their legs, and they fall onto the vehicle(especially with cars, more than SUV's).
It happens a million times a year in Maine and a lot of people get hurt or killed.
You should always try to avoid hitting the animal, but it's best to try to make a split second decision as to whats safer given your surroundings. If you swerve to avoid the animal on a wide open straight road, you probably won't be hitting anything, yet if you do it on a windy road next to a ditch, you might end up wrapped around a tree or in a ditch 60 feet below the roadway.
You have to make a decision at the time of the incident, and nobody can really tell you what's the the general best thing to do in situations like this due to the numerous other variables of the scenaria that we can't predict. As someone mentioned above, the best thing you can do is to always try to be in control of your vehicle... so that if something dramatic should happen, you increase the likelyhood of a positive outcome.
If you hit the deer head on intentionally... sure, you might not get faulted with the accident, but what good is that to you if you're in a morgue with chunks of dead deer embedded in your body?
Oh.. and sorry about your car. Sucks to see a 240SX bite the dust... from a fellow 240SX/G35 owner. I always love whipping my 240SX, because of the go-kart feel that it gives you(unlike the G35).
Deer and Moose are real bad to hit head on because they fall on or go flying into the cabin of the vehicle when hit dead on... or through the windshield due to the height of the animal. The car takes out their legs, and they fall onto the vehicle(especially with cars, more than SUV's).
It happens a million times a year in Maine and a lot of people get hurt or killed.
You should always try to avoid hitting the animal, but it's best to try to make a split second decision as to whats safer given your surroundings. If you swerve to avoid the animal on a wide open straight road, you probably won't be hitting anything, yet if you do it on a windy road next to a ditch, you might end up wrapped around a tree or in a ditch 60 feet below the roadway.
You have to make a decision at the time of the incident, and nobody can really tell you what's the the general best thing to do in situations like this due to the numerous other variables of the scenaria that we can't predict. As someone mentioned above, the best thing you can do is to always try to be in control of your vehicle... so that if something dramatic should happen, you increase the likelyhood of a positive outcome.
If you hit the deer head on intentionally... sure, you might not get faulted with the accident, but what good is that to you if you're in a morgue with chunks of dead deer embedded in your body?
Oh.. and sorry about your car. Sucks to see a 240SX bite the dust... from a fellow 240SX/G35 owner. I always love whipping my 240SX, because of the go-kart feel that it gives you(unlike the G35).
Last edited by partyman66; 11-21-2005 at 10:36 AM.
#27
Originally Posted by dentalstud
The dumb thing is, if a drunk had run in front of your car, you'd better swerve or else you'd be found guilty of vehicular manslaughter.
What would insurance have done then????
![Roll Eyes (Sarcastic)](https://g35driver.com/forums/images/smilies/rolleyes.gif)
If I was on a back road, (like the ones on my way home), and if someone jumps out in front of me. If my car can't stop in time, you bet your **** I'll be hitting that person. I'm not about to lose control of my car, and drive off a cliff, slam into a tree, or risk a head-on collision with another car, possibly killing me, my wife, or my family.
Last edited by avs007; 11-21-2005 at 10:45 AM.
#28
Originally Posted by partyman66
Nobody should be encouraging you to hit the deer.
Originally Posted by partyman66
Deer and Moose are real bad to hit head on because they fall on or go flying into the cabin of the vehicle when hit dead on... or through the windshield due to the height of the animal. The car takes out their legs, and they fall onto the vehicle(especially with cars, more than SUV's).
It happens a million times a year in Maine and a lot of people get hurt or killed.
You should always try to avoid hitting the animal, but it's best to try to make a split second decision as to whats safer given your surroundings. If you swerve to avoid the animal on a wide open straight road, you probably won't be hitting anything, yet if you do it on a windy road next to a ditch, you might end up wrapped around a tree or in a ditch 60 feet below the roadway.
You have to make a decision at the time of the incident, and nobody can really tell you what's the the general best thing to do in situations like this due to the numerous other variables of the scenaria that we can't predict. As someone mentioned above, the best thing you can do is to always try to be in control of your vehicle... so that if something dramatic should happen, you increase the likelyhood of a positive outcome.
If you hit the deer head on intentionally... sure, you might not get faulted with the accident, but what good is that to you if you're in a morgue with chunks of dead deer embedded in your body?
Oh.. and sorry about your car. Sucks to see a 240SX bite the dust... from a fellow 240SX/G35 owner. I always love whipping my 240SX, because of the go-kart feel that it gives you(unlike the G35).
It happens a million times a year in Maine and a lot of people get hurt or killed.
You should always try to avoid hitting the animal, but it's best to try to make a split second decision as to whats safer given your surroundings. If you swerve to avoid the animal on a wide open straight road, you probably won't be hitting anything, yet if you do it on a windy road next to a ditch, you might end up wrapped around a tree or in a ditch 60 feet below the roadway.
You have to make a decision at the time of the incident, and nobody can really tell you what's the the general best thing to do in situations like this due to the numerous other variables of the scenaria that we can't predict. As someone mentioned above, the best thing you can do is to always try to be in control of your vehicle... so that if something dramatic should happen, you increase the likelyhood of a positive outcome.
If you hit the deer head on intentionally... sure, you might not get faulted with the accident, but what good is that to you if you're in a morgue with chunks of dead deer embedded in your body?
Oh.. and sorry about your car. Sucks to see a 240SX bite the dust... from a fellow 240SX/G35 owner. I always love whipping my 240SX, because of the go-kart feel that it gives you(unlike the G35).
#29
Central Texas is densley packed with deer, so dealing with them is extremely common. While this isn't a lot of help to you with this car, it might help you and others in the future:
1. If you try to avoid the deer, try to just barely avoid it if anything more drastic is dangerous. Over-reacting is always more dangerous. If you can't avoid it safely, then you simply can't avoid it! Your natural instinct to avoid yanking the wheel at speed should always over-ride your instinct to avoid the deer collision at all cost. Be thankfull you didn't involve another vehicle.
2. This one is pretty easy out here, as you can usually see them ahead, but here it is anyway: IF they're on the side of the road, KEEP your engine speed CONSTANT. The change in sound is what will really spook them. After implementing this advice, I've never had them dart out in front of me.
3. If you have those deer whistles on your car (If it's your G, you deserve to hit a deer
), then take them off! They work at scattering the deer away, BUT they don't work soon enough. Going through the Hill Country late one night (3am during the winter), I finally had to pass a truck in front of me (who had the whistles on) because the deer would freak-out and scatter at the last minute. These things endanger you more than they help. After getting well ahead of that truck and implenting the constant-engine-speed technique, NOT A SINGLE deer scattered when I approached. This was the most tense night of driving in my life (I'm 34) as I probably passed 150 or more deer within 80 miles. 9 out of 10 scattered at the last minute due to the whistles, while I only saw 1 young spike scatter (out of perhaps 100) when it was just me and I kept the engine-speed as constant as possible when I noticed them.
3. Bang #1 into your head until it becomes your natural instinct.
4. If you hit a deer, even head-on, the chances of it coming through the windshield are so slim that you can rule them out. It would be a freak-accident. You're more likely to be killed while trying to avoid one, so drill that into your head. If you can avoid a head-on, great, but NOT "at all cost". A deer's instinct is still to jump out of the way in that last split-second, and it's not going to jump into the lights. It will jump to either side, most likely the direction they are facing.
1. If you try to avoid the deer, try to just barely avoid it if anything more drastic is dangerous. Over-reacting is always more dangerous. If you can't avoid it safely, then you simply can't avoid it! Your natural instinct to avoid yanking the wheel at speed should always over-ride your instinct to avoid the deer collision at all cost. Be thankfull you didn't involve another vehicle.
2. This one is pretty easy out here, as you can usually see them ahead, but here it is anyway: IF they're on the side of the road, KEEP your engine speed CONSTANT. The change in sound is what will really spook them. After implementing this advice, I've never had them dart out in front of me.
3. If you have those deer whistles on your car (If it's your G, you deserve to hit a deer
![Stick Out Tongue](https://g35driver.com/forums/images/smilies/tongue.gif)
3. Bang #1 into your head until it becomes your natural instinct.
4. If you hit a deer, even head-on, the chances of it coming through the windshield are so slim that you can rule them out. It would be a freak-accident. You're more likely to be killed while trying to avoid one, so drill that into your head. If you can avoid a head-on, great, but NOT "at all cost". A deer's instinct is still to jump out of the way in that last split-second, and it's not going to jump into the lights. It will jump to either side, most likely the direction they are facing.
Last edited by GT-Ron; 11-21-2005 at 02:42 PM.
#30
Since your insurance has deemed it your fault, this is what I'd wanna kno. What's the blue book on your car? What's the total cost for repairs? What's your deductible? After you've factored everything, determine if the cost of repairs worth the next 8 yrs of high premiums? If not, junk it and call it a lost.