Step-By-Step Guide Of What To Do If You Hit A Deer In Western New York

In New York, there's one thing your relatives say every time you leave to drive somewhere. How many times have you heard, "Watch for deer!" when you're leaving? It's like saying goodbye, or "Go Bills" when you leave. You can't get out the door without hearing it.

That's because, especially around this time of year, they're everywhere! This is the start of their mating season, and you'll see them at the side of the street, mostly at night. We always do our best to avoid them, but sometimes, they just dart right out in front of you, and there's no way to miss them.

Somehow, I lived 40 years without hitting a single deer. So when I finally did hit a one, I honestly didn't know what my responsibility was. Did I have to call someone? If I did, who was it?

If this is your first time hitting one, here's what you should do:

1. Move your car to the side of the road if you can. Hopefully, the deer didn't do too much damage, but if you are in the middle of the road, there's a chance you won't have the same luck if you then get hit by another car. You're going to want to assess the damage, but get out of the way first.

2. Check your vehicle. If there's no damage and no one is hurt, you can just go. You don't need to call anyone. You don't need to find the deer. You can just go. However, if someone is injured or you have damage to your vehicle, move on to step 3.

3. Call the police. Again, this is only if there's an injury or if there is damage of $1000 or more. If the injury isn't severe, you can call the non-emergency police number. You will need a report from the police for your insurance company for the damage.

4. Stay away from the deer. If it is still around the site of the accident, let the police deal with them humanely. They will likely be scared and could hurt you if you get too close.

5. Call your insurance company. Begin the claim process as soon as you can. If the damage is extensive, you're going to need them.

6. Once all of the steps above are done, if your car is safe to drive, you can leave.