Van and Deer Both DOA
by Lisa S.
(Osgood, Indiana, USA)
Yeah, I must have heard that a thousand times over the last 15 years.
I'd always been lucky, just about everybody I know out here has hit at least one deer. My husband has hit several, as well as his father, uncle & sister, his brother-in-law hit a 12-pointer, my nephew hit a nice 10-point buck this winter, most of our friends have hit a deer, or more than one.
Deer-vehicle collisions is a big problem out here.........
My turn finally came as I was heading to work early one morning, so early it was still dark. I was just driving along a straight stretch of highway, more concerned about getting warmed up and getting my morning intake of coffee than watching closely for deer. I always watch for deer, but I admit, I don't tend to watch as I probably should in wide open spaces. I watch more closely on roads where there are lots of trees or crops and even more so on back roads.
This was a 2-lane highway, wide shoulders, trees far off, no crops left in the fields this time of year. It was muzzleloader season which might explain why I hit a deer that seemingly came out of nowhere. It must have been running full speed; maybe a hunter going to his stand for the morning's hunt had spooked it.
All I know is I heard a tremendous crash and thump, felt a jarring sensation when I hit it. Needless to say, going 55 mph, I killed the deer and it caused considerable damage to the front corner and passenger side of my van.
I called my hubby on my cell phone, he met me where the accident occurred and drove me home. We called the ISP & our insurance company. Turned out that durn deer caused enough damage to total my van. Grrrr.......
I've bought another van, but I sure do miss my old one.........
Funny thing is, most folks wouldn't carry full coverage on a 1996 van that only blue books for a couple grand. I always kept the coverage and used to joke that it was because I was the only person I knew who hadn't hit a deer. At least it paid off.....
