Living in our beautiful state of Washington and enjoying our picturesque mountains and trees means also having to deal with wildlife, particularly deer. Those signs you see on the side of the road with the picture of the deer leaping in the air are there for a reason. Not only do they eat our plants and rummage through our gardens, they also get too close to our roads and freeways and can cause major damage to our cars. Listed below are some driving safety tips for what to do if you encounter a deer on the road.

1. Don’t Speed
While this one seems a best practice for driving safety in general, it is also important for staying safe should an accidental collision with wildlife occur. The faster you are driving, the more force will be exerted onto your car during impact. So if you hit a 300 lb male deer going 35 mph the damage will be much less than if you were going 45 or 50. Of course if you’re on the freeway and have to travel at faster speeds, it would be better to hit a deer at 60 mph than going 75 or 80.

2. Don’t Swerve
This tip might not seem as obvious as the first. Hitting an animal head on will actually lessen the damage to your car and passengers. Swerving and hitting the animal in the side of your vehicle where a person is sitting is much more dangerous. You also run the risk of swerving into oncoming traffic or rolling your vehicle.

3. Be Cautious at Dawn and Dusk
Animals are usually most active at sunrise and sunset. This is the time of the day when they typically do their hunting and feeding. It is important to stay alert and aware of the road at these times of the day. Deer are also out and about after dusk. If you’re the only car on the road, turn on your high beams so you can fully see the sides of the road where they hang out.

4. Call Wildlife Rescue If You Do Hit an Animal
If you do end up in a collision with an animal, be sure to call Wildlife Rescue (unless you have to call 911 because you or your passengers have been injured) Getting a large animal off the road is important so that the next car to come along behind you doesn’t run into it as well.