Drivers in and around Little Rock, along with our Arkansas auto accident lawyers, were stunned to learn recently about the potentially-lethal injuries sustained by a Jonesboro teen after a 5-point buck collided with her car.
Reports indicate that Tori Henry, age 17 at the time of her accident in early October 2014, was driving down Johnson Avenue in Jonesboro around 4 p.m. when the deer rammed into the driver’s side door and window. One of its antlers impaled the teen’s jaw.
Henry is now recovering from her injuries. But her freak accident illuminates the need for drivers to take extra safety precautions around wildlife, not to mention trucks along with pedestrians and bicyclists.
Here are eight things that drivers should know to stay safe when there are deer on the road.
- Drivers are most likely to encounter deer at dawn and dusk.
- October through January is deer-breeding season, which means the animals are especially active and deer-auto collisions are most likely to occur.
- Two-lane roads in wooded and rural areas are the most likely places for deer-auto collisions to happen.
- Deer are pack animals and rarely travel alone. When you spot one, there are probably others nearby.
- Scan for shining eyes as another indicator that deer may be near the road.
- Once you know deer are near a road, slow down and double-check that your seatbelt is fastened.
- Headlights can mesmerize deer. If you see one, slow down and flash your lights at it.
- Avoid swerving away from a deer as this can confuse it.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, close to 200 people die each year as the result of a deer-car collision.
If you live in or around Little Rock, Arkansas and experience this or any other type of auto accident that necessitates the need for advice of an experienced personal injury lawyer, please contact Levar Law Injury & Accident Lawyers for a free consultation.
