For those of us who have travelled in the less populated countryside of South Africa, you’ve probably come across a road sign warning you that you could encounter a wild animal. Even though you may be travelling carefully, wild animals are unpredictable, and you may suddenly find yourself facing a buck jumping across the road. Read on further and find out what to do in such circumstances.1,2
Please get in touch with your car insurance company and your car dealership before driving on dirt roads, game farms or national parks. This will ensure that you don’t take unnecessary risks with your vehicle.
Don’t swerve to avoid the animal1
To swerve could be most dangerous, with you and the car coming off worst. Swerving may help you miss the animal, but the vehicle could start spinning and hit trees or other obstacles along the road. This could end in human fatalities, besides the car receiving massive damage. If there is no choice, choose to hit the animal.
Should I use the car’s hooter? 1
One needs wisdom here because a buck standing in the middle of the road may jump out of the way in response to hooting, but an elephant may become angry and even charge.
Brake quickly before a collision1
To reduce the force of impact before hitting an animal, try and brake as much as you can. Make sure the road surface is safe when attempting to brake. Remember that your car’s stopping distance is much greater in good conditions than if you are on a dirt road or a wet tarmac road. It all happens so fast, but ideally, release the brakes just before impact so that the car’s nose can lift again. In this way, you’ll reduce the chances of an animal flying across the bonnet and into your windscreen.
Pull over safely1
After an accident, remember to pull off the road and out of the way from traffic. Immediately switch on the car’s hazard lights, and call roadside assistance. Always have a number on your cell phone which you can use for requesting emergency medical assistance.
Some tips to avoid collision with an animal1,2
Stay alert and not be distracted by a cell phone, playing with music, or air conditioner controls. Whenever you see a warning sign of wild animals likely to cross the road, start to slow down and be on high alert for any eventuality.
What happens when travelling at night? 1,2
If travelling at night, switch on bright headlights so that you can timeously pick up animal eyes moving on the road. Remember that you are at a considerable disadvantage compared to daytime travelling because your vision is restricted to the length of the headlight beams. This means you need to slow down to react in time. Even at 60 km/hr, you’ll cover 17 metres or at least 3 car lengths in one second.
What is evident from the preceding information is that you need to have adequate car insurance concerning any collisions while driving on South Africa’s public roads. So, why not affordable car insurance and unique benefits like fixed premiums* and a reduce to zero excess* with PMD. T’s and C’s apply.
Sources:
1https://cesarornelaslaw.com/safety/what-to-do-if-a-deer-jumps-in-front-of-your-vehicle/
2https://www.thepersonal.com/blog/-/how-to-avoid-animal-collisions
This article was prepared by Eric Sandmann in his personal capacity. The views and opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own. The views and opinions in the article should not be attributed to anyone but the author unless expressly stated. Nothing in this article should be relied upon as advice, this publication is presented for informational purposes only. No person should act or refrain from acting in reliance on any information found in this article, without first obtaining proper financial advice from the appropriate professional. The author makes no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, or completeness, of any information linked from, referred to, or contained in this article. The author reserves the right, to edit and change the content of this article.
