Animal Collisions Major Cause Of Arkansas Auto Accidents

According to a recent news report, Arkansans have a far greater chance of colliding with a deer on the road than winning money from a scratch-off lottery ticket. The report indicates that although such animal collisions are decreasing nationwide, Arkansas defies the trend with car crashes with deer on the rise. Ranking in the top ten in the nation for deer collisions, the ratio of drivers to accidents in Arkansas is frightening with some estimating that 22,000 drivers hit deer in Arkansas every year.

The owner of a Cabot area body shop claims that 90 percent of his business in autumn months is from deer collisions, which means this is the season to watch out for antlers on the road. Although deer frightened by hunting-related activity is one major cause of the spike in deer collisions during this time, mating season is also a distraction that may make deer less careful about where they run.

It’s just a deer, what’s the worst that can happen?

What those who have never experienced such a collision don’t realize is that colliding with a deer can total a car, causing serious injuries and even death in the process. Front-end damage to a car can cost thousands of dollars to fix, with other damage adding on to the total bill. According to one insurance representative, deer caused $75 million in damage in 2012-2013.

Deer cause collisions with other drivers

In certain instances, the presence of a deer in the road will cause drivers to collide with other automobiles, in addition to or instead of the deer itself. This is a major problem that magnifies injuries and damage, making the need to prevent collisions even greater.

Preventing collisions

Although the presence of deer on Arkansas roads may be inevitable, drivers can alter their habits to minimize potential damage in the following ways:

  • Take note of deer crossing signs and be more vigilant in these areas
  • Increase awareness between six and nine in the evening when deer are statistically more active
  • Use high beams to better see deer

Finally, never swerve even when a deer collision appears inevitable. This leads to rollovers and collisions with oncoming vehicles.

When injuries and damages result from accidents involving deer, call on accident attorneys with extensive experience handling auto accident cases.