I’ve been driving since I was 14. My parents let me drive on old dirt roads. And legally it’s been over 30 years and there’s one thing that’s never happened until Saturday, May 31 when a deer clipped my car.
I was driving on Oklahoma Highway 51 west near the Cherokee/Wagoner County line at the Richard Newkirk bridge over Fort Gibson Lake when I saw a deer running in the road. I guess it’s because it didn’t have much juice as it was crossing the road from the Sequoyah State Park area. By instinct, I braked and I heard a thump.
I looked in the rear view and the deer stumbled a little getting its footing but ran across the road. So, I guess it has some good stories to tell its fellow deer and woodland critters. I’m glad this is just a small thing that can be easily fixed.
I knew a young woman from college who ruined her whole car when she was driving on the interstate at 70 mph or so and hit a deer head on. Luckily, she was safe but the car was a total lost. My brother hit a deer one night back in 1994 or 1995 while heading to a football game. On the side of the road, someone he knew was not to far away and they were heading to the same place.
So, there was only damage to the front driver’s side and the headlight was out. He drove behind this person who was driving a big Ford Expedition while he was just driving a Ford Taurus. Anyway, the Expedition hit a fawn or smaller deer like it was nothing and then he ran over the deer’s body with the Taurus. It wasn’t a good night. But the car got fixed and as far as I know he hasn’t hit a deer since.
I was driving on Interstate 40 in Arkansas in 2011 when about three or four ran across the road. Thankfully, no one hit one as they were all going at least 65 mph because it would’ve been a bad car wreck. I’m usually good at spotting them but I think this one came out quick as I saw it in my peripheral vision.
How about you? Have you ever hit a deer? Please comment.
Zane Says 