>> The Real Bev wrote:
>>> When my mom was still driving, I told her that if an animal ever darted out in
>>> front of the car she should try to brake but go straight ahead, not try to
>>> avoid the animal. Better to hit it than spin or roll or smash into another
>>> car. She seemed surprised, but on reflection thought that that was the proper
>>> thing to do.
>>>
>>> I would guess that would go for humans too.

> John David Galt wrote:
>> For a dog or cat, yes. But for a deer, cow, or any other animal tall enough
>> that it's likely to go up on your hood and hit the windshield, I'd rather
>> swerve and take my chances on spinning out. A side impact with a deer will
>> probably leave me uninjured and the car drivable -- head-on probably won't.
>>
>> Most humans are big enough to belong in that second category too, although
>> I'd hesitate to swerve to the right; they may run that way if they figure
>> out the problem at the last second. That's less likely with a deer or cow.

The Real Bev wrote:
> What about at freeway speeds with the usual freeway traffic and YOUR number
> comes up? I guess we'd all be doomed then and it probably wouldn't matter.
> We don't have much livestock, but every once in a while a dog makes it up onto
> the freeway...

I commuted for a year on CA-17, an almost-freeway (divided mountain highway
with freeway speeds and no shoulder, but a few intersections) where deer and
collisions with deer are very common. From what I saw, if "your number's
up" it's up. The driver will usually survive the hit, but his car won't.

But there's no effective defense except (a) be lucky enough to have the deer
appear and start crossing a block or more ahead of you, rather than jump out
right in front of you, or (b) drive a big rig. (An SUV may help if the deer
is relatively small, but for real protection you'd need enough of a "roll
cage" that the deer can't reach the windshield.)

In my view the real solution to this problem is to kill off the free ranging
deer and all other similar sized wildlife.