1.5 million.
That’s how many deer, elk, and moose are struck by cars on average each year, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. And according to State Farm’s website, Georgia ranks 19th in your chances for having the unfortunate occur – 1 in every 128 drivers, and that rate has gone up in the last three years. If you’re an Augusta native, or even if you’ve only lived here in the CSRA for a few years, chances are you’ve had a car accident involving a deer or know someone who has. And here at Rick’s Paint & Body, we see plenty of them. Check out the recent WJBF news story in which our own Murphy Menger was interviewed about the rising number of deer-related accidents:
WJBF News Channel 6: Deer Collisions Are Up This Year
In all, over $1 billion – with a ‘b’ – dollars in damages can be chalked up to hitting deer, etc. each year.
So what can you do?
First, make sure your car insurance covers such an accident. Your agent will know.
Second, when driving, make sure to scan both sides of the road – especially at night, when deer are more active. Using your high beam headlights whenever there is no oncoming traffic can help you spot some deer in advance, too.
Make sure to drop your speed a bit lower than usual. If a deer jumps out 100 feet in front of you and you’re going 60 miles per hour, you only have just over one second to react – and so does the deer.
If the worst happens, and you do end up in a wreck, make sure to call the police and get evidence that it was a deer at fault. Once you’re safe, call Rick’s Paint & Body’s toll-free 24-hour towing line. We’ll immediately get your vehicle to our shop, begin working on repairing your vehicle, and have you back on the road as quickly as possible.
Stay safe!
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