Thursday, June 6, 2013

Deer Present a Driving Hazard



When you see them on the side of the road, deer can look cute, gentle, and sweet. Behind that innocent veneer, however, lurks an animal that can do serious damage to your vehicle. Collisions with deer are some of the leading causes of accidents. You don’t have to hit a deer head-on to do damage to your vehicle either. These animals have been known to run right into the side of vehicles unexpectedly. You can protect your truck’s front end from deer by installing truck bull bars. As the name implies, these devices were invented to protect against run-ins with bulls, and if they are strong enough to stand up to bulls, they can certainly stand up to deer!

Don’t rely on your truck bull bars alone though. It’s also important for you to utilize safe, smart driving techniques. In order to do that, however, you have to be informed about deer. You should know, first and foremost, that deer are most active during dawn and dusk. If you can avoid driving, especially in heavily wooded areas, during these times, do it. If not, just make sure that you are extra alert, watchful, and careful during these hours
Part of being careful is not speeding, especially if you are driving through an area known for a hearty deer population. When you travel in such areas, go as slowly as the speed limit allows and slow down even more if you happen to see deer in the area. The slower you are going, the easier it is to stop if a deer happens to run in front of you.