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Today's blog is a sore point for me; an area of driving I try not to think about too often, but one that I've been forced to think about more than I'd like in the past few months: Avoiding animals that wander onto the road.
I'm proud to say I've only ever hit one creature in my long driving career, and it was a squirrel. I tried my darndest to avoid him; was full on the brakes, swerved, I even laid on the horn beforehand in an attempt to scare him back into the bushes -- to no avail. Poor little guy never stood a chance. It was heart wrenching.
It wasn't until it was all over and done with that I realized how silly I'd been in my dealing with the squirrel, swerving fully into the oncoming traffic lane just before the crest of a hill on a country road. Not smart at all.
And here's the part I don't like thinking about: when it comes to avoiding an animal on the road it often comes down to a simple decision, either you or them. Usually we win. That makes me sad, but happy that I'm not the one on the side of the highway at the end of it all.
Recently, I came close to hitting a small dog that had somehow found its way onto a highway onramp. Lost and bewildered it was stumbling around. At the speed I was going he surely would have perished had I hit him. I hit the brakes in time and swerved to avoid him, narrowly avoiding hitting the barrier at the same time.
We were both lucky in that case.
Maybe next time I won't be so lucky.
More humans are injured in animal collisions than animals because of reactions like mine. In 2009, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported 173 fatal crashes due to animal avoidance.
The “want” to save the animal you suddenly spot is so great that we inadvertently put ourselves in danger, swerving into oncoming traffic, slamming on our brakes suddenly causing fender-benders and even crashing into stationary objects by accident to avoid running over a creature.
I get it trust me. It pains me to say it, but sometimes you just gotta drive straight. Try to assess the animal's size. If the creature is lower than your bumper, drive on through. If you have time to check oncoming traffic and your blind spot, you can swerve to avoid the little guys, otherwise don't.
If the animal stands above your bumper (read: deer, cow, horse), consider evasive manoeuvres because they could come through the windshield if you're going quickly enough.
Every time I see a wild creature wondering close to the edge of the road I want to scream and yell and wave my arms and ask them, “What are you doing here?!” Then I remember: they're just trying to walk and live in areas that we've invaded and made dangerous for them.
Technology like BMW's Night Vision and add-ons like bumper-mounted deer whistles are designed to help reduce the number of animal collisions on the road. However, respecting posted speed limits in rural areas and on country roads, as well as using your high beams in low-light areas are also good ways to keep our furry friends safe and your driving record murder-free.
I'm proud to say I've only ever hit one creature in my long driving career, and it was a squirrel. I tried my darndest to avoid him; was full on the brakes, swerved, I even laid on the horn beforehand in an attempt to scare him back into the bushes -- to no avail. Poor little guy never stood a chance. It was heart wrenching.
It wasn't until it was all over and done with that I realized how silly I'd been in my dealing with the squirrel, swerving fully into the oncoming traffic lane just before the crest of a hill on a country road. Not smart at all.
And here's the part I don't like thinking about: when it comes to avoiding an animal on the road it often comes down to a simple decision, either you or them. Usually we win. That makes me sad, but happy that I'm not the one on the side of the highway at the end of it all.
Recently, I came close to hitting a small dog that had somehow found its way onto a highway onramp. Lost and bewildered it was stumbling around. At the speed I was going he surely would have perished had I hit him. I hit the brakes in time and swerved to avoid him, narrowly avoiding hitting the barrier at the same time.
We were both lucky in that case.
Maybe next time I won't be so lucky.
More humans are injured in animal collisions than animals because of reactions like mine. In 2009, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported 173 fatal crashes due to animal avoidance.
The “want” to save the animal you suddenly spot is so great that we inadvertently put ourselves in danger, swerving into oncoming traffic, slamming on our brakes suddenly causing fender-benders and even crashing into stationary objects by accident to avoid running over a creature.
I get it trust me. It pains me to say it, but sometimes you just gotta drive straight. Try to assess the animal's size. If the creature is lower than your bumper, drive on through. If you have time to check oncoming traffic and your blind spot, you can swerve to avoid the little guys, otherwise don't.
If the animal stands above your bumper (read: deer, cow, horse), consider evasive manoeuvres because they could come through the windshield if you're going quickly enough.
Every time I see a wild creature wondering close to the edge of the road I want to scream and yell and wave my arms and ask them, “What are you doing here?!” Then I remember: they're just trying to walk and live in areas that we've invaded and made dangerous for them.
Technology like BMW's Night Vision and add-ons like bumper-mounted deer whistles are designed to help reduce the number of animal collisions on the road. However, respecting posted speed limits in rural areas and on country roads, as well as using your high beams in low-light areas are also good ways to keep our furry friends safe and your driving record murder-free.
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