An animal jumping into the road in front of our vehicle can happen to anyone. Terrifying as it might be, we all need to prepare ourselves for the eventuality that an animal may jump out in front of our vehicle. Knowing what to do if this happens will make things easier when the inevitable does happen. We will review some concepts that you should know about, such as how to find towing services to help you and how you can search for ‘car detailing near me‘ to discover the companies in this business.
How to Avoid Hitting an Animal
It is not always possible to avoid hitting an animal on the road. They often move so rapidly and unexpectedly that you may collide with one no matter what you do. However, you should know that there are some techniques that you might use to avoid this becoming a frequent occurrence.
- Be extra mindful during sunrise and sunset – A lot of wild animals come out during the early morning and late evening hours. If you are not paying enough attention, it becomes straightforward to collide with an animal that is just trying to do what it does naturally.
- Look out for wood-lined roads – Many animals that you might hit with your car live in the woods. If you happen to be driving on the road with woods on either side (or both sides!), be extra mindful driving. These are high-risk roads, and you could see an increased likelihood of hitting an animal when you are out on these types of roads.
- Put away the distractions – Many of us are woefully addicted to our smartphones, but they are a major danger when we are driving. It will help if you put away your cell phone at all times while operating a vehicle to maintain your full concentration on the road ahead of you. Failure to do this could result in a preventable accident.
Indeed, even those who follow all of these rules could still find themselves in need of auto body repairs if they get unlucky and an animal happens to come out on the road. That said, it is far less likely that this will be such a dangerous threat if one is following all of the rules and recommendations to keep themselves safe.
What To Do If You Hit An Animal
If you are reading this, then you may already be in a position where you have struck an animal with your vehicle. If that is the case, you should know what steps you need to take next. You need to remain calm and take measured steps towards solving the problem. Having a panic attack or some other type of negative reaction because of what has happened will not serve you well. Instead, it would help if you looked at this accident as something you need to figure out step-by-step.
- Bring your vehicle to a stop – The first thing to do is bring your vehicle to a complete stop. You have struck an animal, and you will only do more damage to your vehicle if you continue to drive it after this accident. Bring your vehicle to a complete stop so you can begin to assess the damage.
- Take note of what is around you – If your vehicle is now in a position that could make it dangerous for yourself and other motorists, try to turn on your hazard lights to let other drivers know that you are facing an issue. Another driver may stop to help you, but even if they do not, you have made it clear that there is an ongoing hazard to be aware of.
- Call a vet – You may need to start looking up local veterinarians after you strike an animal on the road. The veterinarian should have the best advice for you about handling the situation. They can guide you on how to approach the animal in a way that won’t put yourself or others in danger. If the animal is someone’s pet, you may also want to look for tags that identify the owner.
- Report the incident to police – You should notify the authorities when an animal has been struck so that they have an official report on the record. You might also want to contact wildlife control depending on the type of animal that you have struck. They might need to get involved in some capacity if it seems that the animal that you have struck is something that falls under their jurisdiction.
- Get in touch with your insurance company – One call that you know for sure that you will have to make it to your insurance company. They need to know what has happened to open a case on this incident as well. They may have many questions for you regarding the incident and precisely what happened. If you feel that you can answer those questions at the moment, then go for it. If you feel that you are a little too shaken up to be all that helpful to them, then you should wait until you are in a better frame of mind.
- Search for local auto mechanics – There is a good chance that a strike to your vehicle by an animal is going to cause enough damage that some component of the vehicle will need to be repaired. If that is accurate, then your best bet is to get in touch with local auto mechanics who can inspect the vehicle all over and check on the functionality of its various components. It is difficult to say what may need to be repaired or how much that will cost until they get a chance to look at it. If you have a BMW or a Porsche, look for someone who does BMW repairs or a Porsche repairs specifically, as these are higher-end vehicles and require specialized maintenance. You would never want to take your porsche into a random auto store down the street, you’d want to go to an actual porsche mechanic.
- Speak with someone about animal removal – It is a sad reality that sometimes an animal strikes a vehicle so violently that the animal remains themselves get stuck in the vehicle. It is not something that most people want to think about or talk about, but it needs to be taken care of. Animal removal services are available via various companies that specialize in roadside accidents. If you need this because of the damage that your vehicle sustained, then speak with a company that can handle this type of work for you right away. Letting it sit could cause additional issues down the line.
- Contact an attorney – It may seem as though an accident lawyer would not be necessary for the event of an animal accident, but that is not necessarily true. Accident attorneys can still be beneficial in these cases if the driver who struck the animal only did so due to the negligent actions of another driver. That is to say that if the driver who struck an animal was not actually at fault for what they did, then they may have a case that needs to be taken up by an attorney. Obtaining one as soon as possible after an accident is the best way to secure your legal rights in this scenario.
There are many things to do after an accident involving an animal has taken place. It is an event that you should certainly be prepared for as it can happen at any time. When someone is caught flat-footed trying to figure out how to proceed after this type of accident has occurred, things can get challenging. Instead, it would help if you kept the checklist above handy at all times so that you know what you need to do for each part of the process.
Getting Repairs Done After an Animal Accident
If you are in an accident involving an animal, the chances are pretty high that you will need some auto body repairs. Animals can strike any part of your vehicle, and the weight of the animal times the speed that the vehicle was traveling when it struck the animal is how things can get very damaging very quickly. As the vehicle owner in these circumstances, you need to get the vehicle into a shop that can handle the repairs right away.
How Much Is It Going To Cost?
The first question out of many people’s mouths when they hear that they may need to take their vehicle in for repairs is, ‘how much is it going to cost?’. Most people are very budget-conscious these days, and auto repairs are often expensive and unexpected. Thus, it is not shocking to know that many people want simple and quick answers about how they can best handle the repairs after an animal accident.
The exact cost of repairs following an accident is going to come down to a few essential factors:
- The auto mechanics one decides to work with – Every mechanic sets their rates based on the labor and parts that they need to put into a vehicle to get it back in shape. It is important to consult with various mechanics to see what prices they quote for various services. Do some comparison shopping until you find a team that you feel comfortable working with.
- How much insurance will cover – The amount of repair damage that can be covered by insurance is dependent on the insurance coverage that the policyholder opts for. Those who have purchased only the state-minimum mandatory coverage are likely to find themselves somewhat disappointed by the lack of coverage for animal damage repairs like this. They may find themselves unable to develop the funds necessary to get their repairs done if they don’t pay for comprehensive auto insurance that covers such events.
- The extent of the damage – Certain elements of a vehicle are a lot more expensive to repair or replace than some others. If the animal strikes the vehicle in just the right spot, then the total cost of those repairs can climb very quickly. Watch out for things like windshield replacement, hood damage, and damage to the tires. Those are all fairly easy things to get repaired, but they can also be somewhat pricey.
There is no way to get out of paying for auto repairs in many circumstances. If you want to have a vehicle that functions well for you, you need to treat the vehicle well. If you try to get the bare minimum done to avoid repair costs, expect additional problems that come up down the line. It would help if you weighed your options between paying now for what needs to be repaired versus paying more later when more extensive damage occurs.
Handle The Process One Step at a Time
Always keep in mind that you need to take care of your vehicle accidents one step at a time. You must take these things as they come and try not to let yourself get too overwhelmed by the seriousness of the situation. Yes, the situation is serious, but you will only compound your problems if you allow panic to take over rather than handling these issues one at a time. Some authorities are in place to help with animal accidents, and these types of accidents happen frequently. Don’t feel like you are the first to ever end up in this type of predicament. Considering how often it happens, there are processes that can help make it easier for you to get from the point when you have an accident to the point where you can return to your everyday life.
