How to Avoid Deer Strikes in Your Corvette

Deer strikes are a serious risk this time of here. Here are some tips for safer fall driving in your Corvette.

The days are getting shorter, and the nights are getting colder. With autumn drawing to a close and winter rapidly approaching, many of us are trying our best to squeeze in a few more rides in the Corvette before we put our cars away for the season.

Unfortunately, this is also the time of year when deer are very active, and we find ourselves at a higher risk of a collision with one. The unlucky C8 owner in this YouTube video found that out the hard way. The good news is that one of our contributors spent time as an insurance claims adjuster, and worked exclusively on deer strike claims. As a result, we can offer some tips that will help you avoid risky situations.

Deer are most active at dawn and dusk, especially this time of year. That’s because we’re well into mating season, also called rut. Rut typically starts in September. Deer are eagerly hunting for potential mates, and the males are also busy defending themselves against threats from rival males.

Chasing Tail

As a result, many deer are less aware of cars – they’re preoccupied. You have to take up the slack and be more alert yourself. Deer most often cross in packs, so don’t think it’s safe to start moving again after you see one deer cross. Where there’s one, there’s more.

On account of deer being very hormonal, it’s surprisingly common for deer to actually run into cars that have stopped or slowed. They might view cars as some sort of threat, especially if the deer was in the process of chasing a female when they tried to cross the road.

If a deer strike is imminent, don’t swerve to try to avoid the deer. Deer strikes count as comprehensive claims, which are not considered an at fault accident. As a result, your insurance is less likely to go up. If you swerve and hit something else, that counts as an at fault collision, and your rates may increase.

As we said earlier, the best advice is to remain vigilant and avoid traveling at dawn or dusk whenever possible. Stay safe, and enjoy the last few days of warm weather!

Photos: YouTube/General Motors