Would You Swerve

[430752]

For many trucking companies, swerving is a terminable offense. I know because I just had a case with one, where he swerved to hit a deer and damaged the truck as a result. They're trained to smash the deer, not swerve, too dangerous to swerve. Company's policy manual says so. I thought it odd, but I guess a big freightliner towing a trailer or a double set of pups while barreling down the highway will make short order of any deer.

Now I wonder what the rule on elk and caribou are? Any truckers from the upper plains or Canucks-land out there?

[Alex Franke]

swerve, probably not unless it would be a low-risk swerve. I also wouldn't slam on the brakes. If there were a car behind me, I wouldn't brake hard either. But I would brake or try to avoid it if it is safe to do so. I try not to kill anything unless it is threatening me or my family in some way.

In HS I swerved to miss a dog, lost control and hit a parked car. I totaled my mother's car on Mother's Day. Yikes.

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.

I describe squirrels as rats with fuzzy tails and a good PR firm. I had one stare me down once on a trail. He looked like he just got out of a fight or something and he wasn't going to move for me or anyone else. I could almost hear him saying, "I'm pissed, so go ahead -- take one more step and see what I do to you!"

[Russianwolf]

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.

Bill it depends on the car.... A Deer hit in a low slung sports car usually equals body through windshield since you take out the legs. That's one reason I prefer driving full sized 4x4's. Deer just bounce off the grill (but it will still be damaged).

[drillman88]

I was on a lonely country road about midnight a few years back. I rounded a curve there was a big doe standing in the middle of the road.I had just enough time to slow slightly and miss her but hit another that jumped from the woods behind her. Without time to react or room to manuever, I would have plowed her and taken my chances. Deer will be moved by the impact, power poles and trees will not.

Smaller animals would have to get out of the way. I dont want to hurt them but I am not going to put my safety and others at risk.

[gjat]

Brake firmly while maintaining control and position in my lane, yes. Definitely would not swerve at all. I've actually seen two accidents that were caused by people swerving. One crossed the road twice and it was a miracle another car wasn't hit. People are more important than animals. My BIL was a paramedic for 15 years. Never heard a story of him responding to someone injured hitting an animal and he had a territory out in the country for a few years. Heard plenty of accident stories. I also wear my seabelt. He always says he's never unbuckeled a dead body but has responded to many fatalities.

[billwmeyer]

Critters

Swerve to Hit or to miss?

Seriously, I try to avoid hitting any animal that I can, especially skunks, with minimal risk.

A good friend of mine had a sister that swerved to avoid a turtle on a gravel road. She skidded into a bridge, and her newborn baby was killed. I will never forget that little bitty coffin.

For insurance purposes, at least in Kansas, if you hit a deer etc. on the road, your comprehensive insurance will cover it. If you swerve and go into a ditch, your collision insurance will cover it, but usually with a higher deductable. Of course I have driven a lot of beaters that I didn't carry collision insurance on.

Snakes, on the other hand...

Bill

[BobSch]

In the UK, there is an obligation to report to the police if you hit an ass...

Ray

Does it make any difference if the ass is driving or not?

[Black wallnut]

For many trucking companies, swerving is a terminable offense. snip.........

Now I wonder what the rule on elk and caribou are? Any truckers from the upper plains or Canucks-land out there?

Drive right on through is the policy. Slow down if safe to do so but any sudden reaction adds danger. An elk, moose, horse or cow often will total a semi but these crashes are usually survivable. Much more so than rollovers, although with todays safer trucks it's simply amazing what driver's walk away from.

[cgallery]

Does it make any difference if the ass is driving or not?

Ba-dum-bum. Good one!

[germdoc]

How about this one? What if it were your mother-in-law who walked in front of the car? Would you swerve??

[HarmsWay]

My MIL has got a 'low centre of gravity' so the risk to me in an impact would be low. However for the most part she's a good ol' gal so I'd probably swerve.

[sparkeyjames]

I will slow for squirrel or other small mammal while driving on a side street. If however I am driving on a main road the creature better be good at dodging or my tire is going to have road paste on it. I will not risk an accident or another human life for that of a small rodent/mammal. I have never had to avoid hitting anything more than a large dog.

[Pappy]

How about this one? What if it were your mother-in-law who walked in front of the car? Would you swerve??

Only if she tried to jump out of the way!

[Pappy]

In a car, for small animals, no. Larger animals, dogs and up, if speed and conditions allow it to be done safely I will try to avoid the collision.

A motorcycle is another story. Even a squirrel is enough to set the front wheel wobbling at higher speeds.

[Stan]

Swerve?????