Never, Ever Veer For Deer – Indiana State Police Share Why

My deer hunting dad taught me that deer are most active, moving and searching for food at dusk and at dawn. Both of these times are when I'm driving on the road the most. On my way to work, this morning, I had three different run-ins with a deer. Listen to me tell how my drive to work played out.

No wreck, thank God, but by the time I got to work, my nerves were totally on edge. I could have wrecked three different times this morning. All three times, I did what I wasn't supposed to do. So, I thought I would remind myself and you too about what you should never, ever do.

If hitting a deer is unavoidable, never swerve to try to avoid hitting it with your car. Swerving could not only hurt you but you could hurt someone else. Here's what you need to do instead, never veer for a deer.

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Last year Sgt. Todd Ringle posted this on his Facebook Page. I used it last year to warn you of the dangers and, because of what happened to me this morning, I'm using it again.

I had a serious one-car accident because I veered to avoid hitting a couple of deer. The roads that lead out of the valley that I live in, are full of curves and hills. At certain points of the day, at points of the year, it’s very dangerous. A deer can come out of nowhere, and they did.

Around 10 years ago, I was driving to work very early in the morning. When I came over a steep hill, there was a deer, right there. I had no time to think. It was an instinctual reaction, at that point, no thinking. Even though I knew I wasn’t supposed to swerve, I did. Not hurting the deer was my only concern. But, I was so wrong.

Just as I swerved, another one came out of the tall grass and ran in front of my car. So, I swerved the other way and was headed right for a tree. If hadn’t been for a cement culvert that was in my path, I would have hit the tree head-on. My car was busted up, but the culvert saved my life. The deer was fine, not a scratch. Luckily there was no one else on the road. I could have hurt them when I swerved.

So please, follow the instructions in the above infographic from Sgt. Todd Ringle. So, you know what to do if a deer runs out in front of your vehicle.