The Unites States is filled with great roads and beautiful natural scenery. While driving through these roads, we sometimes forget that we share this land with a wide range of wild Animals and are literally driving right through their homes. You may encounter a wild animal next time you’re on the road so you must do everything in your power to avoid a collision that leads to serious injury for everyone involved.
Keep your mind on the roadWith everything going on in your life, it’s easy to let your mind wander while driving, especially on long road trips. With that being said, you should never forget that a wild animal could cross your path at any moment. By paying attention and keeping your mind alert, you reduce the potential risk of hurting an animal or yourself. If you see an animal crossing ahead of time, you stand a better chance of avoiding an accident and continuing on your journey.Slow Down!It doesn’t matter how great of a driver you are; you need to slow down. If you’re keeping your eyes on the road and see an animal crossing your path, you may have time to hit the brakes but only if you’re driving at a reasonable speed. Driving at or below the posted speed limit is especially important at night since you can only see as far as your headlights can reach. If you are driving above posted speed limits, chances are that your reaction time will not be fast enough to avoid impact. With darkness all around you, choose to drive cautiously and sacrifice some time in exchange for a safe trip.Upgrade your HeadlightsAnother great way to be safe while driving along wooded areas is to upgrade your headlights if you don’t already have a nice set. If your car is already equipped with a set of LED headlights, there’s not much you can do except drive with your high-beams on when there are no cars in sight. If your car is equipped with an old set of Halogen lightbulb headlights, you can upgrade to either HID xenon or LED Kit. These kits offer brighter light than what most cars come with straight from the factory. This simple upgrade will help you see further away so you can spot Animal Eye reflections, well ahead of time.You’ve hit something, now what?Sometimes, even with all the precautions you take, accidents will happen. No matter how hard you try to avoid hitting a wild animal, always remember what is most important. Don’t risk driving off the road just to avoid a hit, you may end up causing more serious injuries to yourself and your passengers. If you do hit an animal, don’t approach it. Animals are very dangerous when in peril so keep your distance and stay in your car. If your car is in good enough shape to drive away, you still must alert authorities and let them know the situation. The Authorities have dealt with this before and know how to take care of the animal in a humane manner. Also, since your car will take damage, some insurance companies will require that you get a police report before they fix the damages. The worst thing you can do is drive away and leave the animal in the middle of the road, potentially causing another accident. Next time you’re on the road, remember that you are not alone. We share this land and it is our responsibility to make sure that everyone gets where they need to go safely, even if that means getting across the road that you’re driving on. |
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