Watch Out For That Deer! Other Road Hazards

This is Seth Smiley of the Smiley Law Firm with today’s edition of the Parents of Teen Drivers Facebook Group. Today we will be talking about unexpected road hazards, and other encounters. There are other things than cars and people that we need to be warning our teens about.

I just read an article about a driver up in North Dakota who hit a deer, and the deer made the car swerve out of control and hit a ditch. The teen driver died as a result of this. You may think that North Dakota is different, and this may not be a concern in your area, but that is not the case. In South and North Louisiana, anywhere rural really, we see these types of things occur all of the time. At certain times of the year and different times of day, you will see deer and other livestock such as cows by the side of the road. There are also large cats and various other potential dangers.

We need to educate our teens about this. Even if the road is clear of other cars or people, there is danger. Hitting a big animal can be extremely dangerous, so it is essential to be aware of them. There is a low chance of an accident with a large animal happening, but can and does. If you own livestock and cattle, you should make sure they are adequately secured. If they cause an accident that causes injury or death, you could be liable for severe liability. I want you to be aware of this issue and discuss it with all of your teen drivers. Knowing about this risk can make accidents less likely and potentially save lives.

If you have any stories about a similar incident or have any questions, please comment or send me a Direct Message.

Thank you.