Hitting Deer or Other Animals - Truckers' Trucking Forum | Message Board

Crazy88 · **^ Top** #1 04.14.2008

About the deer. Ive hit a deer once, and had several close calls. I am just curious what is standard protocol when you guys see a deer. If its far enough up the road, do you slow down, or is that too risky for an accident?

After you have hit the deer, I'm sure you just keep going (I would). What kind of damage do they do to big trucks? (probably just a speed bump right?)

Living in Colorado, alot of semis have bull bars, just wondering how common those are across the country.

--This is my first post, so I should tell a little about myself. I am at Colorado State studying forestry with an interest in groundskeeping/forestry/trucking. I drive from Chicago -> Denver quite a bit so I see alot of truckers and have respect for them.

jlkklj777 · **^ Top** #2 04.14.2008

I never swerve to avoid an animal in the road period. It may move or it may get hit. I have missed many and hit a few. The damage is minimal as compared to running off the road or slamming on the brakes causing a possible load shift or an accident behind you.

Last time I hit a deer was in Ohio about 0300 on I675 around Dayton. I clipped the deer with my left fender as he darted into the road casuing a broken fender. I used bungee cords to hold the fender up off the steer tire and continued down the road to make my delivery.

I drove to a company terminal and had the fender replaced the very next day. Of course the deer died. Not too many survive an encounter with an 18 wheeler traveling at 55 mph.

broncrider · **^ Top** #3 04.14.2008

hit it!!!!

might cuase you to have to replace a bumper (my last one did) or a fender but it is a minimal cost compared to wrapping the truck around a tree or car

if they are a little ways up the road i hit the air horn's, but dont swerve and i do slow down alittle

Johnny99 · **^ Top** #4 04.15.2008

If you see you are going to hit an animal hold on tight to the wheel and don't swerve or make any erratic moves. Most animal hits are considered non preventable accidents unless your log book say you are someplace other than the accident site. Stop and check for damage. If its minimal and the carcass isn't a traffic hazard just call your company to see if they need a police report filed. Anything else call the police.

Joe Dirt · **^ Top** #5 04.15.2008

Heard some interesting views from the guys up in Canada- up there, they mainly see them on the road in the corners in the spring- because they're licking the salt off the roads. That's the other reason you see them in the ditches/median- salt remnants.

When some of the encounter a deer when on deserted roads or where feasible, they drive right at it- that way, if the deer moves anyplace but where it is standing, they miss it. If you try to go to one side, chances are (Murphy's Law) whichever side you go to, the deer will go there!

I've done the 'drive at 'em in my 4 wheeler up north for a long time, and haven't hit one since. Obviously, not much help if they just blaze out in front of you. Up here, the deductible is $50 for me for deer (in the car) usually about 1/2 price of normal.

bigrig · **^ Top** #6 04.15.2008

bronc just used the deer to get a new bumper!!

I always wondered what it would be like to hit a deer in a big rig...

OpenEye · **^ Top** #7 04.15.2008

Lots of deer where I live. Two tips:

-if the deer is "frozen" flash your lights, that will probably startle it enough to make it bolt away.

-if you see a deer run across the road, slow down right away because it is almost certain that there is at least one more following it ready to bolt out any second.

And the advice about not swerving it right on the money, no matter what you are driving.

firecracker24 · **^ Top** #8 04.15.2008

try buying an animal replent whistle (ive seen them at walmart car section). they seem to work when placed in the right spots on a vehical.also if you see an animal before hand slow down but most of the time this isnt the case so just watch it and try to figure out what its going to do before you get there. like everyone else said dont swerve to miss it and pray if you do.

AfterShock · **^ Top** #9 04.16.2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by firecracker24

try buying an animal replent whistle (ive seen them at walmart car section). they seem to work when placed in the right spots on a vehical.

I have installed and used those 'deer whistles' on my Big trucks. Even had one the evening I hit Bambi in Kansas while he was rutting at a dead run.

Of all the devices I've used to prevent hitting deer, I think the most effective was the one I had mounted on my dash --- a little hula girl with a grass skirt on hips that shimmied the hula.

Quote:

also if you see an animal before hand slow down but most of the time this isnt the case so just watch it and try to figure out what its going to do before you get there. like everyone else said dont swerve to miss it and pray if you do.

If you see an animal before hand and IF you CAN slow down. But, often, an abrupt and unexpected slowing of your vehicle (checking-Up) can cause rear-end collisions behind you. Not good.

SOMEtimes, all you should do is try to aim the impact for an area of the Big truck that will suffer the least damage. I hit Bambi with the right front bumper/fender of a T-600, which spun Bambi's antlers into the grill area and radiator and the air conditioning stuff mounted up there.
Lucked out though. Just dented the radiator vanes -- no punctures.
Had to replace the front (plastic) bumper -- or the part that rolls under to be more exact. Cost was $1,000 just for the part.

The cost could have been avoided because the bumper was only bent, tweaked and crinkled -- but that doesn't look good.

As hard as it might seem, and maybe cold-hearted to some, SOMEtimes, it's best to hammer down when an impact is eminent. Makes it quicker and less painful for dear deer.

However, the new aerodynamic Big truck hoods are sloped -- some more than others. When those hoods impact dear deer, the dear deer have been known to be thrown UP onto the sloped hood --- and slide all the way to the winshield. And, on occasion -- through the windshield.

Traditional 'classic' Big trucks don't seem to have that happen. Usually, with classics, an impact with dear deer will result in said deer going UNDER the Big truck. Or, if hit at speed, thrown forward and away from the truck -- which makes it possible to hit the deer again.

If a larger deer's body goes UNDER the Big truck -- it CAN lift steer tires off the ground, and you'd be officially out of control until the body grinds down or goes farther under the Big truck --- you know, where the air lines and (on some Big trucks) the fuel tank cross-over line is located. Deer under a truck have been known to tear those things out.

No brakes, and leaking fuel.

Hello?
E.P.A.?
I'd like to report a fuel spill ...................

Which WILL cost thousands of dollars in clean-up and fines.

Truth be known, there isn't a 'one size fits all' way to clobber critters on the highway. That's where experience, aptitude, ability, quick-wits, and resolve comes in.
YOU, the driver, makes the decision -- in a split second.
Question is,........ will you be ready?

Driving a Big truck down the highway becomes second nature with experience and practice. But it's only PART of your duties.
The other part is hard to practice for to get the experience. I don't know of ANY Big truck truck drivin' schools that have their students hit deer -- for practice and experience.

Rather, I think, that's the "UNknown" they keep tellin' us to be ready for.
Expect the unexpected.
Ya reckon.

Cowboy Pastor · **^ Top** #10 04.17.2008

...from my uncle who taught me how to drive some 40 years ago. We were in his pick-up heading home after a home grocery delivery one week day. ( He owned a country grocery store; the kind you never see nowdays)

As we were leaving the delivery home, I was driving on a learners permit, and a dog ran out in front of us on a rural county road. I hit my brakes and swerved to the side that the dog had come from. "Daddy Joe" calmly but very convincingly, told me "Don't ever, and I mean EVER, have an accident in an effort to avoid hitting an animal. Let off the gas, hold on to the steering wheel, and keep driving straight ahead."

I've never forgotten that lesson and have, in fact, executed it on a number of ocassions in the last 40 years.

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