Would you swerve to avoid an animal on the road?

Question

love animals and all but sometimes people dont quite make a good judgement call on whether its safer to hit the animal or swerve:
Small animal (below headlamp level) = Hit or Swerve?
Larger animal (above headlamp level) = Hit or Swerve?
For both I would brake, brace and hit rather than swerve at speed
What you guys think?

Answer 1

It depends on the situation. If you can safely avoid the animal, it's best to avoid it. If attempting to miss it would cause you to risk going off the road or hitting another vehicle, you are probably safer to hit the animal.

With large animals, like deer, you may be safer to swerve if you're not driving too fast. A deer through the windshield could injure or kill you.

Answer 2

First: in general, I would hope that everyone would attempt to avoid hitting an animal with their car. The possibility of an animal running out in front of your car always exists (although is remote in urban areas), and should always be a bit on your mind (as should be the possibility of a child running out in the street.)

Second: if you have enough time to think "is this a small or large animal" or "is this animal above or below headlight level", then you have plenty of time to stop or swerve safely. In real accidents, you react first and justify your reaction after the fact. So this isn't something you can plan for; it's just something you're going to DO.

Finally: if you think that hitting an animal is always better than swerving, consider this: a friend of mine hit a deer while driving back to his army base. He was driving a late 80s Toyota Celica hatchback. The deer was on the side of the road, wasn't even in front of the car -- and he decapitated it. The right-side A-pillar cut through its neck, and the head shattered the entire windshield and ended up in his passenger seat. He almost hit a tree as well, because the impact altered his course on the road, and a sudden unexpected shattering of a windshield in front of your face is *not* going to be the kind of thing you recover from quickly.

Answer 3

If your car has ABS brakes, you can brake and swerve at the same time, its advised by big car companies.
But you kind of answered your own question.
Small animals = Hit
Larger animals = Swerve as much and as possible without causing an accident and then brace for the impact.
But the best solution is probably to keep our eyes on the road and be on the watch-out for these scenarios.

Answer 4

Always hit it. Feel free to brake, but don't swerve. It's the safe bet every time. Although it may damage the car, the chance of injury to you is much smaller than if you were to try and swerve. Normally swerving ends up causing loss of control which in turn leads to more damage to the vehicle and a better chance that you'll have to go to the hospital.

Answer 5

It all depend on how much danger I would put myself in if I swerve off the road. If there is a danger of my getting killed, or the animal, it would have to be the animal. I, however would do my best not to hit the animal.

Answer 6

I generally aim towards squirrels but I would swerve to avoid something like a moose or a deer if safe to do so. I am always aware of all the cars around me so I can make this type of snap judgement.

Answer 7

I've been lucky touch wood that I have managed to avoid impact because generally I don't use the roads, especially country roads as a race track, and usually have time to slow right down and/or stop. I don't know how it is for other people but if something darts into road, human or animal my automatic reflex is not to hit anything.

Answer 8

Either way, hit the animal. If you swerve you might come off the road and injure yourself or hit an oncoming vehicle.

Answer 9

I normally would put my foot down and smash the animal to bits, doesnt seem to affect my HGV. some times i will swerve if the animal is getting away, if i only clip its leg or back end i go home knowing i've done a good job.

Answer 10

As much as I love animals, the safety of my passengers as well as my own safety comes first. I would brake, then swerve. I would be distraught if I hit an animal... and if at all possible, I would try and help it.