While drivers tend to worry about collisions involving other vehicles or pedestrians, the statistics suggest that you’re far more likely to have a run-in with a furrier offender. According to data compiled by AAA, drivers have a 1 in 128 chance of hitting an animal when they’re behind the wheel, compared to a 1 in 366 chance of an accident involving another vehicle. These numbers can vary widely based on location, but it’s hard to ignore the fact that you’re almost three times more likely to make contact with an animal rather than another driver. A run-in with a wild animal is almost a rite of passage in some areas, but that doesn’t mean it’s fun or easy to deal with. The first moments after an accident can be scary and overwhelming, which is why it’s so important to consider your next steps well before an actual incident occurs. By spending a little time planning and mentally walking through the post-accident process, drivers can help to increase their chances of a safe, equitable outcome for all involved, so let’s review some of the key steps you should take after hitting an animal with your vehicle, address the question of liability and share a few tips for avoiding an accident altogether.
What to Do
The moments immediately after a collision can leave you in a state of mental shock. Here’s a road map of how to navigate the aftermath.
Pull Over and Check on Passengers
Your first step should always be doing a thorough self-assessment and then checking in on the welfare of your passengers. Once you’re sure no one has sustained any serious injuries, make sure to move your vehicle off of the road. Find a safe place to pull over and then immediately put your hazard lights on to alert other drivers to your presence. This last step is especially important due to the fact that many animal-related collisions take place at dusk or dawn when visibility tends to be low.
Contact 911
After you’ve found a safe spot to park, you’ll need to contact the authorities. A 911 dispatcher will be able to send police and/or a paramedic to your location. This should be your first call after any collision. If there haven’t been any injuries or substantial damage to the vehicle, you might think that a call to 911 is a little overboard, but that’s not usually the case. Police will not only contact your local Department of Transportation or Animal Control to remove the carcass or render care, but they can also be an invaluable resource when it comes time to file an insurance claim. If you’ve had a run-in with a smaller wild animal like a fox, raccoon, or hedgehog, you can probably skip this step, though you should make sure the animal is fully removed from the road before motoring on. Keeping a pair of rubber gloves and an emergency snow shovel in your trunk will allow you to relocate the animal without having to get too up close and personal.
Inspect Your Vehicle
While you’re waiting for law enforcement to arrive, take the opportunity to inspect your vehicle and document any damage. Some of the most important details of an accident can be difficult to recall a couple of hours later when your adrenaline stops pumping, which is why drivers should gather all the evidence they can before leaving the scene. Walk around the vehicle to note any bumps, dents, or leaking fluid. Even if the damage looks minimal, it might be worth taking your vehicle to a trusted mechanic as soon as possible. Even seemingly minor impacts can cause hidden damage to the frame, wheels, hood, and other less obvious components that could easily lead to long-term problems. While you’re conducting your survey, use your phone to take photos of the scene. These photos should include details or any damage, as well as shots that show the site of the impact and the animal itself. This impromptu photoshoot can pay dividends when you go to file a claim, so make sure to be thorough.
Don’t Approach the Animal
Deer might be known for being relatively timid, but there’s no telling what an animal might do when it’s injured and feeling cornered. While you might be tempted to check in on the animal, most experts advise giving them a wide berth. Police can arrange for the animal to be removed and identified as a pet or livestock, so let the pros do their thing and stay well away.
Contact Your Insurance Agency
Once you’ve filed an accident report with the police and paramedics have squared everything away, it’s time to get your insurance company involved. In some more minor cases, this might be able to wait until you’ve arrived back home, but if the accident is serious enough to warrant calling a tow truck, make sure to contact your insurance company immediately from the side of the road. Depending on your policy and coverage, the insurance company might be able to send out and/or cover the cost of a tow truck. They could also offer some helpful tips for documenting the accident site. However, even those taking a more leisurely approach should reach out to their insurance within 24 hours of the accident.
Liability
After you’ve dealt with the immediate danger, it’s time to consider the question of liability. When it comes to figuring out who’s going to foot the bill for any repairs or injuries, it ultimately depends on what kind of animal was hit. The owner’s insurance policy might cover collisions with livestock or pets, but it’s a different kettle of fish or herd of deer when it comes to wild animals. Let’s review some of the basic guidelines surrounding each of these three categories and learn how drivers should deal with collisions involving different types of animals.
Pets
Hitting someone’s pet with your vehicle can be a traumatizing experience for all involved, but that doesn’t mean the issue of liability shouldn’t be addressed. In many cases, a pet owner could be held liable for any collisions if the animal was not properly restrained. Most jurisdictions require pets to be leashed or otherwise confined, so if your vehicle collides with an animal that’s off-leash, the owner could be found to be at fault unless you were speeding or driving recklessly. The law tends to favor drivers in many pet-related accident scenarios. In fact, in many states, drivers aren’t even required to swerve around an animal as it could easily lead to a more serious accident with another vehicle or pedestrian.
A home insurance policy could cover a collision involving a pet if you manage to locate the owner, but it’s also worth considering whether it’s worth filing a claim in the first place. In the case of cats and smaller dogs, the damage might be minimal and not worth involving the insurance company. Even if you’re not found to be at fault for the accident, your insurance company might still raise your premium in response to any claim, which could cost more than the claim in the long run. Typically, this isn’t the case, but it’s worth double-checking your policy or confirming any potential rate hikes before diving into the paperwork.
Livestock
Colliding with a pet might leave you feeling a little shaken, but it’s usually unlikely to result in any serious damage. The same can’t be said for livestock like sheep, cows, horses, and the like, which can weigh as much as 1,200 lbs and leave a lasting impression on your vehicle. Like pets, livestock are legally required to be restrained by a perimeter fence or other animal control methods. If a cow wanders through a hole in a shoddy fence, the owner might be found liable and be required to pay for any damages to the vehicle. That said, drivers should always exercise a little extra caution when traveling through agricultural areas and make sure to call the authorities when they’re involved in any livestock-related collision. In addition to helping to track down the owner, law enforcement can also ensure the animal is safely removed from the road so that it doesn’t present a hazard to other motorists.
Wild Animals
Accidents involving wild animals have been on the rise in the last few decades, with over 1.9 million wildlife-related insurance claims filed in 2023. This increase can be attributed to a number of factors, including increased deer populations and habitat destruction that forces animals into more densely packed areas. Mating season can also see an increase in collisions as deer tend to be more active, so be extra careful when you’re behind the wheel between the months of October and December.
Unlike their domestic or agricultural counterparts, these wild animals don’t tend to carry their own insurance policies. That means a driver will often be on the hook when it comes to paying for a repair, though more comprehensive policies will include collision coverage for such occurrences. Drivers should report most accidents involving wild animals to their local or state police, especially larger creatures like deer and moose that can present a hazard to other drivers. Contacting the authorities isn’t just a good idea; it can even help reduce the likelihood of future crashes. Collecting data allows governmental organizations to identify areas of high risk and post signage that can serve as an important warning for motorists.
While you can’t completely eliminate the possibility of animal-related accidents, there are some steps you can take to dramatically decrease their likelihood. As we mentioned above, drivers should exercise plenty of caution when traveling at dusk or dawn, especially during the time of year when animals like deer are particularly active. It’s also important to be careful when driving through heavily wooded areas and keep an eye out for any signs warning of potential collisions. Then, there are the general driving tips you should be sticking to every time you get behind the wheel. Don’t speed, and avoid distracted driving at all costs. An animal-related impact can be dangerous even when a driver is prepared, but if you’re glued to your phone and don’t have any warning, it can be downright devastating. An accident, even one involving a smaller creature, can be shocking, but if you stick to a few simple tips and keep your head straight in the immediate aftermath, it’s pretty easy to avoid some of the worst outcomes.
