What Drivers Need To Know About Reducing Risks Of Animal Car Accidents
As winter gives way to spring, animals may emerge and appear more frequently on California’s roadways. Drivers can limit the potential for animal car accidents by taking steps such as limiting their speed and being vigilant about their surroundings. If you experience a car accident, contact the California attorneys at Heiting & Irwin by calling 951-682-6400.
What Are the General Rules to Help Reduce the Risk of an Animal Vehicle Collision?
To reduce the risk of colliding with an animal, drivers should drive safely for the conditions on the road and monitor the area. Many crashes involving wildlife occur because people are not paying attention to their surroundings or are moving too fast for the conditions. Being vigilant enables drivers to spot animals before they enter the road and mitigate against the risk of an accident.
What Is the Best Defense to Avoid a Crash with an Animal?
As the California Rules of the Road explain, an essential aspect of safe driving is awareness of one’s surroundings. When driving on highways or roads, continuously scan the areas around the car to look for changing conditions and wildlife on or around the road. Often, animals will appear on the side of the road before attempting to cross. By continuously scanning the surroundings, people can look for this sign that an animal may enter the road, allowing them more time to take appropriate action. Animals can move fast. We should be prepared to react if they do move.
If someone sees an animal on the road or even on the side of the road, they should reduce speed and, if possible, move over to give the animal more space. This can help reduce the chance of a collision and allow them room for safe maneuvers if an animal enters the roadway. It can also signal to other drivers that there may be an obstacle nearby.
What Two Things Does a Driver Need to Do to Avoid a Collision?
Colliding with an animal, whether as large as a deer or as small as a squirrel, can have terrible consequences. It can cause major damage to one’s car and injure or kill the wildlife involved in the accident. It can even be fatal for those in the car! However, there are steps people can take to avoid collisions with animals. According to the Humane Society of the United States, two essential precautions people can take to limit the chance of a crash are following the posted speed limits and being aware of their surroundings.
People who are in animal car accidents may experience injuries to themselves and their vehicles. A car accident attorney in California may be able to help file a claim and pursue compensation. Consider contacting the experienced lawyers at Heiting & Irwin for assistance. There may be parties responsible for the accident, even if it involves an animal.
Follow the Posted Speed Limits
When people are driving fast on highways or rural roads, it can make it harder for them to stop in time when an animal enters the road. Further, it can make it more difficult for the animal to react. Additionally, speeding can make it challenging to properly and safely react to road hazards involving animals and maneuver the car in time.
By following posted speed limits, or even less if circumstances dictate, people can help limit the chance they injure or kill an unsuspecting animal on the road. Likewise, they can help give themselves space to safely maneuver the car away without causing further damage to their vehicles or others in their car or on the roadway.
Be Aware of Their Surroundings
People can also limit the potential for animal car accidents by limiting distractions and focusing on their surroundings. Instead of focusing on their cell phones, the music playing on the radio, or other distractions, they should keep both hands on the steering wheel and constantly scan the roadway. This is especially important on rural roads or scenic highways where wildlife is more likely to appear.
How Can a Driver on Rural Roads Avoid a Collision with an Animal Crossing the Road?
Rural roads are common sites of car crashes involving animals because they are often surrounded by habitats such as fields and forests. Drivers on rural roads should be extremely vigilant, especially when driving through wooded areas, and be mindful of road signs warning of common animal crossing locations.
Contact an Animal Car Accidents Attorney for Help
Animal car accidents pose serious risks to humans, wildlife, and vehicles on the road. By following the above steps, people can limit the potential for collisions involving wildlife. If you are involved in a car accident involving animals, contact the experienced car accident lawyers at Heiting & Irwin by calling 951-682-6400 or visit us online at www.hilegalgroup.com
