The single major reason I do Not drive after dark in Minnesota...

[populistdriven]

A deputy in Isanti County, MN, was responding to a report about a man with a gun at a restaurant in the early hours of last Saturday morning, reports local outlet Isanti County News. He was traveling down a dark road in the squad car with the lights and sirens on at 114 mph when, suddenly, a deer leapt out from the side of the road. There was no time to stop.

(meanwhile in neighboring Wisconsin there are 20,000 deer to vehicle collisions annually)

https://jalopnik.com/under-no-circumstances-is-watching-this-cop-car-hit-a-d-1819920472

[csziggy]

1. Yeah, my husband hit a deer a few years ago

Technically, the deer hit his car. Fortunately it was where the speed limit on our rural road drops to 35 mph at a small community so he'd slowed down. Neither my husband or the deer were injured - the deer sort of slid across the hood and took off in the direction it was headed.

The damage to the car was limited - right front fender bent up and the hood caved in. Only cost us $300 to fix so we didn't report it to the insurance company.

[TeamPooka]

2. Police driving 114 mph in almost any circumstance is a public danger

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

3. LOTS of places have deer that kill themselves with cars.

My son in Missouri. My husband in Kansas. A friend in Pennsylvania claims that's the state with far and away the most deer-car collisions.

[caraher]

4. I hit a deer last fall

Washington state, Dodge Caravan at dusk vs. deer on busy highway. I was doing about 60 MPH when I saw it, might have slowed to 45 when I hit it, no airbag deployment. It bent the hood and crinkled the grille and front license plate but everything worked fine on the vehicle afterward. The deer did not do as well, sadly.

I definitely could not have swerved left without involving other cars... it came from the right side and I hit it dead center; I think had I swerved right it simply would have struck a different part of the car (best case).

It's kind of sad but you really do pretty much need not to swerve. Just brake as much as you can and hope the deer misses you; it happens pretty fast!

[True Blue American]

5. Ohio has the same problem

I live close to a small woods. On my morning walk I have actually had them asking down the street as if they were taking their morning stroll.One morning it was a baby deer. Car /deer crashes are common.

Once on I 75 I was in the middle lane,truck on one side, car on the other when I saw a small one darting towards the truck. Tha one was smart enough to turn back. Imagine the damage if it had panicked.

[GaYellowDawg]

6. I hit one at 65 mph

On a late Christmas shopping trip with my mom on 12/23. Driving right at the speed limit. A deer ran out in front of a car in front of me, and just barely missed. I said, "Did you see how close that" BLAM. It jumped out right in front of me. I'd never believed that an animal that size could just catch you off guard like that.

No airbag deployment; that year's Camry had sensors at the corners and I struck the deer straight on in the middle of the car. In the rear view mirror, i saw it pinwheel off with all 4 legs splayed out. Miraculously, the car could still drive, so we finished the trip and drove home, about an hour away. It totalled the car because the frame was bent up. One big dent for the body, one small one for the head. Mercifully, the deer died on impact. We were very lucky it didn't come over the hood and into the windshield.

There was no blood on the car but there were tufts of fur stuck in the grill and hood. When my sister's family came in for Christmas, they saw the car and I told the kids that I hit Rudolph and that was it for Santa's delivery. There was a pause and then a "NUH UH!!" It did shake me up and I still don't like driving at night.

[empedocles]

7. Saw a tall van accident soon after it happened

hit a horse. Seems like it was a high speed collision. Horse and van driver carnaged.

[Ikeoftheprairie]

8. Deer at night are scary

I live in rural N.D. I usually drive my pick-up or car but I do drive a Polaris Slingshot for fun. I rarely drive it after dark, way too many deer strikes in my area.

[uppityperson]

9. Yup, it's not the ones you see, but the ones you don't see that are dangerous

I now live in an area where deer mostly travel alone but I slow down fast and am watchful for the ones in the brush who panic and jump out in front of cars.