Just this week, a three-car accident took place on Route 202 in Readington Township after cars tried to avoid hitting a deer that sprinted across the highway.
The accident took place at around 9:15p.m. on January 27 when a deer ran onto the northbound lane, causing several cars to quickly brake. One of the drivers lost control of his Jeep and crossed the grassy median into the southbound lanes, causing an accident with two other vehicles. Fortunately there were no serious injuries reported but all vehicles involved were towed.
Accidents involving deer are a serious problem in New Jersey. In 2010 alone, vehicles in this state hit an estimated 30,866 deer. The Department of Environmental Protection offered some guidance on how to handle a situation where a collision with a deer seems inevitable by stating, “do not swerve to avoid impact. The deer may counter maneuver suddenly. Brake firmly, but stay in your lane. Collisions are more likely to become fatal when a driver swerves to avoid a deer and instead collides with oncoming traffic or a structure along the road.”
Collisions with deer can be very dangerous and very costly. These types of accidents are usually covered under the comprehensive portion of most insurance policies but the driver will be responsible for the cost of the deductible. If a car swerves to miss a deer and ends up colliding with another vehicle instead, however, it is not considered a comprehensive claim. In this case, the claim would need to be made under collision coverage.
