The consensus among most experts is that one should not swerve when confronted with a last-second animal in the road. Swerving out of the way when confronted with a surprise animal in the road puts your family and others in solemn peril. Countless folks across the country each year are incapacitated or killed due to turning abruptly with the intentions of not striking an animal.
· In February 2014, Port Richey resident, Joseph Barile, swerved so he would not hit a deer. After missing the deer, Joseph struck a tree and died.
· In 2013, Largo resident, Keith Mastronardo, swerved his motorcycle to avoid an animal in the road.
· Keith consequently lost control of his motorcycle and was struck by another vehicle. Keith subsequently passed away. A police officer recently rolled their vehicle after swerving to miss an animal in the road. Luckily, the police officer was not seriously injured.
Unfortunately, the events involving the three individuals mentioned above are relatively common throughout the country. According to a report by Jon Beckman of the Wildlife Conservation Society, millions of animals are struck in the road each year. This means that there is a decent chance that you will be confronted with a animal in the road at least once in your life, if not several times.
According to the Defenders of Wildlife conservation organization:
· Over 200 people die each year in wildlife-vehicle accidents.
· Wildlife causes 29,000 injuries yearly.
· Deer-vehicle accidents occur most frequently October to December.
· Roadways animals causing human fatalities rose 67% from 1994 to 2006.
HOW SHOULD YOU REACT IF AN ANIMAL CROSSES IN FRONT OF YOUR CAR
What should you do to increase your safety due to animals in the road? Well, the first thing anyone can always do is obey the law and speed limits. The faster you drive, the less time there is to assess the surroundings. Next, make sure that you are cautious when approaching areas of the road with heavy tree coverage. Most animals are pretty good at hiding from people and you will not likely see them hiding until it is too late. Additionally, do not throw food scraps and rubbish out of your window. This material will entice animals to the road like a magnet causing a treacherous condition.
If you are confronted with an animal in the path and you have time to stop, you should let off the gas and lightly tap on the brakes. Do not slam on the breaks unless your are sure that no one is behind you. If you do not have time to safely reduce your speed, do not swerve your vehicle. You significantly increase the risk of catastrophic injury if you swerve.
If you do end up making contact with the animal, you should pull over at a safe area. Do not pull over on the shoulder of a heavily trafficked highway if you have that option. If there is any chance that you are injured, you must call 911 immediately. Sometimes you do not realize you have been injured until it is too late. It is prudent to blunder on the side of care.
If you are not seriously injured, find a safe place where you can pull over to call the authorities. Make sure the suitable agency is contacted so that the animal is removed from the area. You should also schedule an appointment with your doctor to make you did not injure yourself. Many injuries go undetected until hours after the accident. Whiplash can cause chronic pain, and the symptoms can go unnoticed immediately after the accident.
SPEAK TO AN EXPERIENCED PERSONAL INJURY LAWYER IN PINELLAS COUNTY
Finally, you should contact a licensed Florida attorney whenever you are in car wreck. Following a car accident, you will have to face the insurance companies and any medical bills that follow. The insurance companies and the bill collectors do not care if you get a fair arrangement. That is why you need a seasoned attorney who will fight zealously for you. The team over at Dolman Law Group battles daily for their clients so that they do not get a raw deal. No outworks Dolman Law Group.
800 North Belcher Road
Clearwater, FL 33765
(727) 451-6900
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