A deer comes out of nowhere and tries to race across U.S. 127, but runs right into the path of a van travelling at 55 miles per hour.
The front end of the van shatters, pieces of the vehicle sprayed in all directions.
The driver manages to stop safely on the side of the road.
The front end of the van is totaled and the vehicle can no longer be driven, the radiator busted and water spilling out onto the road.
The driver is unhurt, but dazed.
He says it was like crashing into a brick wall.
The deer is nowhere to be seen.
Perhaps the deer wasn’t hurt and managed to find safety, or perhaps it was fatally injured and died in the comfort of the woods.
That’s something the driver will never know for sure.
Since the driver only has liability insurance, he decides not to call the police.
This scenario is not an uncommon one on roads such as U.S. 127, where dead deer can be found on the side of the road and everyone seems to have — or know someone who has — a tale about colliding with a deer.
Through April 5 of this year in Owen County there has yet to be a reported vehicle accident involving a deer despite the fact that many can be seen laying beside the road where they’ve been struck by a vehicle.
Last year Owen County had six reported accidents involving deer.
Through April 5 in Kentucky, 486 vehicle accidents involving deer have been reported, leading to 26 injuries, while last year the state had 2,819 reported accidents, leading to 212 injuries and one death.
From 2000-04, Kentucky had 16,331 reported accidents involving vehicles and deer, leading to nine deaths and 1,209 injuries.
From 2000-2004 drivers in Owen County reported 57 automobile collisions with deer, while the surrounding counties recorded much higher numbers, led by Franklin County (412), Shelby County (336), Grant County (298), Scott County (191), Henry County (143), Harrison County (139) and Carroll County (130).
Avoiding a deer might be impossible in some cases, but there are precautions to take to keep as safe as possible.
“The first thing they need to do is wear their seat belt and drive within the posted limits and pay attention to driving,” said Captain John Thorpe of Kentucky State Police Post 5, which serves the counties of Owen, Carroll, Gallatin, Henry and Trimble.
“They need to drive defensively and not over drive their ability,” Thorpe said.
Thorpe said avoid talking on cell phones and keep your eyes on the road, instead of being distracted by other oddities.
“If you see any kind of animal, you need to reduce your speed gradually and be prepared for their actions,” Thorpe said.
If it’s too late to stop, Thorpe said drivers need to resist the urge to swerve, and accept that they might have to collide with the deer, if they have no other choice.
“The most difficult thing to do, as drivers, is to not try to take evasive action, which could cause you to leave your lane of traffic and strike another vehicle,” Thorpe said. “You have to fight that urge. That’s probably the most difficult thing in the world to do, to fight that urge to jerk the wheel and try to avoid the animal.”
While hitting a deer will most likely cause significant damage to a vehicle, it’s a safer alternative than colliding with another vehicle or going off the side of the road.
“If your are involved in a crash, then we ask that you immediately contact law enforcement,” Thorpe said, adding that drivers need to be prepared to state their exact location and any injuries involved in the accident.

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