Oklahoma AAA services recently sent out a warning to watch for deer this fall. Be on your guard: October through December is the most active timeframe for deer and other wildlife to be involved in vehicle accidents. Just last year there were 424 accidents involving deer in Oklahoma and some accidents caused severe injury to those in the vehicle.
Stay safer on the road with these easy tips that may help keep you and the wildlife in the area much safer around vehicles and fall road conditions.
Tips for driving with deer on the roads
- Be alert at dawn and dusk when animals are more active
- Don’t swerve if a deer is in the way; you could hit another vehicle on the road
- Everyone should have a seat belt on
- Pay attention for deer road signs, especially in rural areas
- Don’t forget to check the sides of the road for animals who may dart out
- Having high beam lights on can help spot deer sooner
- If a deer is in sight, slow down, use the horn, and look out for other deer traveling with it
If an accident occurs involving an animal, such as a deer or other large wildlife, make sure you know your insurance policy on animal strikes. The safest bet is often to know your policy well and purchase any needed comprehensive insurance in advance to cover accidents like this–which can leave you in the hospital and your car wrecked.
To help ensure insurance companies do not deny your animal strike claims, take these steps immediately following the accident:
- Call the police
- Thoroughly document the damage to you, all passengers and the motor vehicle
- File your insurance claim right away
If insurance companies do deny your animal strike accident claim, it may be time to consider hiring an attorney to dispute the denied claim.