Car Accidents & Animals: What You Need to Know
Car accidents often result in serious injuries and damages to both people and property, but they can also cause harm to animals. With more people driving on the roads, animal-related car accidents are becoming increasingly more common. While some of these collisions can be minor, others can be fatal for the animal and/or the driver. Murphy, Falcon & Murphy is a car accident law firm based in Baltimore that can help you if you’ve been in an accident with an animal. To help reduce the risk of animal-related car accidents, here are some things to know. Call for a free consultation today!
What Causes Accidents With Animals?
First, it’s important to know the common causes of animal-related car accidents. A major cause of these collisions is driver distraction. Animals can often be unpredictable and can suddenly dart into the road, leaving drivers with little time to react. Animals can also become startled by loud noises or bright lights, causing them to move into the path of a moving vehicle. Other common causes include animals getting hit by a vehicle while crossing the road, a driver failing to yield to an animal in the roadway, and animals being chased by a vehicle.
What Animals Are You Most Likely to Hit?
Second, you should be aware of the common animals that are involved in car accidents. These animals include deer, wild hogs, and raccoons. However, smaller animals such as cats, dogs, and squirrels can also be involved in animal-related collisions. That being said, according to USA Today, the animal that is most killed by motor vehicles is the bird with over 340 million killed every year.
How to Avoid Collisions With Animals
The most important way to avoid collisions with animals is to always stay alert and keep your eyes on the road. Slow down when driving in areas with a lot of wildlife, and be especially aware at dusk and dawn when animals, especially deer, are more active. You should also look for signs of wildlife on the roads, such as animal tracks, droppings, and roadkill, and stay away from areas with high levels of wildlife activity.
What to Do If You Hit an Animal
If you hit an animal with your car, make sure to pull over and check to see if everyone in the vehicle is okay. Next, approach the animal to see if you can help. If you can’t help the animal, it’s best to call animal control or the police and report the incident. If it’s a large animal, you should try to move the animals to the side of the road while you wait for authorities to arrive so that other drivers don’t hit the animal, too. You should also exchange information with any other drivers involved in the accident and contact your insurance company.
Call Our Personal Injury Law Firm
If you hit an animal and sustain injuries, you should consult your local Baltimore personal injury law firm, such as Murphy, Falcon & Murphy. While the vast majority of collisions with animals result in just harm to the animal, people can become severely injured and even suffer death. When you partner with us, we’ll work with you to ensure you are justly compensated. Call for a free consultation today!
CALL MURPHY, FALCON & MURPHY TODAY
Animal-related car accidents can be serious and even fatal. By understanding what you need to know about these collisions, you can help reduce the risk of them occurring. That being said, animals are unpredictable, so you may end up hitting one while on the road. Let our car accident law firm in Baltimore help you with your car accident claim. Our experienced team works incredibly hard to ensure you receive just compensation. Give us a call today!