Would You Swerve

[crokett]

to avoid an animal while you are driving? And if so, under what circumstances?

My sister is mad at me because while I was taking her to the airport a squirrel who had a death wish had it granted. I ran over it without trying too hard to avoid it. Not because I hate squirrels but because swerving I might lose control. Now if it had been something big like a deer I would try to avoid it.

[BobSch]

I don't swerve for squirrels—they dart around so much there's a good chance that I'd end up swerving into the critter. Dogs, cats, deer? Sure.

[cgallery]

Some squirrels are pure evil, while others just go about their cute squirrel business without trying to take up residence in my garage. Really hard to tell by just looks, so I drive over all of them and let God sort 'em out.

[pelligrini]

I'll try to avoid them, even the long haired rats, but I won't put myself in danger. If there is other traffic something is going to get hit.

[Knottscott]

If it's simply a matter of gentling slowing or moving the car a little to avoid them, that's a no brainer, but I typically won't risk putting the car out of control for critters. I'm darn careful about what I'll do to avoid larger animals, and even that is a hasty selfish decision of picking the lesser of two evils. I like animals but I won't put people or my car at unreasonable risk over them. People have accidents all the time trying to avoid animals. If it comes down to wrecking my car or hitting someone else, the animal is a goner every time...simple as that.

[Knottscott]

Some squirrels are pure evil, while others just go about their cute squirrel business without trying to take up residence in my garage. Really hard to tell by just looks, so I drive over all of them and let God sort 'em out.

That's too funny!

[kevincan]

I think that it is more dangerous to swerve than to hit the animal. You never know what you will hit or what will happen if you go off the road.

[HarmsWay]

While in my first driver ed highway session back in 1975, the instructor asked me the same question as I was driving along. I said if I can stop I will, but otherwise I'll brace and hit it (deer, dog, whatever). He said that was the right answer. Of course cars were bigger back then. I still follow that rule though. Brake hard and make only very small direction changes.

[Gator95]

yes, I'll swerve if I can without risking a skid. particularly for livestock and housepets.

[dbhost]

The DAY I got my 35x12.50s mounted on my truck, a squirrel decided it wanted a waffle pattern across it's body... The desire was granted. Had I swerved I would have side swiped a human being in another automobile...., so flat squirrel it was.

[RayintheUK]

A matter of priorities - I'll avoid an animal if that means I'm not going to strike something/someone else.

In the UK, there is an obligation to report to the police if you hit an ass, any cattle, a dog, a goat, horse, mule, pig or a sheep. These animals were declared "of use to man" under the Road Safety Act in 1936. The list has never been amended or altered since, although it could easily be done. Note the absence of cats - considered then as useless, obviously, but a very popular pet nowadays (including our two).

Ray

[Bill Anderson]

I will brake/slow down if possible, but I won't swerve. Swerving is dangerous, and comes with too much risk. Never swerve to avoid a deer, much better to hit it dead on. If you swerve to miss the deer/larger animal, then you may save the deer, but will probably slam into a tree, or run into a ditch, and damage your car, and/or yourself.

Cars were much bigger 20-30 years ago, but cars are much safer today. Although the laws of physics still apply.

[HarmsWay]

I guess I might swerve if the animal were a stationary moose or an elk or a rhinoceros or an elephant or some some beast. So far that hasn't been a decision I've had to make.

[cwithboat]

Around our neighborhood it is chipmunks, they have a built in random direction generator triggered in turn by a pseudo random time delay. It is useless to attempt to avoid them as you have an even chance of squishing them whatever action you take. Braking for deer and raccoon is advisable, as if you see one, there is likely another trailing along behind the first.

[HarmsWay]

I lived in a neighborhood where the average driver hit a deer once every 10 years. I have deer poised and ready to leap out in front of me every day and yes, with deer that's the key. Stop for the one that leaps safely in front of you and wait for her buddy to leap out next. I haven't hit anything yet. I have very good brakes on the car and on my bicycle - well I think I've been lucky.