All across the eastern part of Tennessee, people are experiencing an increase in car accidents due to wandering wildlife. Late fall is the time of year when animals including deer and bears typically move around more, searching for food. This can contribute to hazardous conditions on the road, whether because you actually hit an animal with your own car or because you must swerve to avoid roadkill from a previous accident. Contrary to what most people might think, smaller animals such as turkeys and buzzards can also pose a danger to a distracted driver.
Rick Spears, the owner of the auto body shop Malibu Collision Repair Center, says that they often have as many as 20 damaged cars come in over the span of several months in fall, with damage that ranges from minor ($3,000 to fix) to significant ($15,000 to fix). Depending on the exact nature of the accident, drivers and passengers can also be injured. Local police are advising drivers to drive more slowly when they notice wildlife present near the roadway because you can never predict what the animal will do, and you want to be able to stop in time if the animal darts onto the road. Also, never approach an animal if you do hit one; instead, back away so that you aren’t in danger of an attack, and call the police and the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency to assist you. They will help with your car and also with anything that needs to be done to take care of the animal so that no one else gets hurt.
Gary Massey, Jr., is a well-known courtroom advocate practicing law in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Gary is a native of Tennessee who began practicing law in 1998. He graduated from Cumberland School of Law where he was ranked in the top 3% of his class and was an editor of the Cumberland Law Review.
