Every two weeks I take a drive to New Hampshire to replenish my supply of cigarettes, 20 dollars less a carton and I buy two. The savings is worth the 25 minute ride.
Today was the day and an early morning trip, driving north away from Boston, there is light traffic. Everyone is driving at 65 mph or more.
Close to the N.H. border and a quarter mile in front of me, I spot an animal approach the guardrail from a wooded area. I'm prepared to stop. Having taught driver education, I know the importance of alertness and reaction time. I was very concerned with how people in front of me would react if this animal came onto the highway. It was blatanly obvious, no one else saw what I saw.
I approached this point in the roadway and I spotted three deer behind the guardrail. I knew they would enter the roadway and I thought I should stop and try to prevent it. I didn't. I had slowed to sixty and if I had stopped, I would have stopped a great distance away from them. Walking back to them would have forced them to run, possibly onto the highway. (I don't back up on highways, very dangerous thing to do) I should have stopped at the spot they were, then they would have run away from the highway. The traffic was light and the area was visible from a great distance, drivers should be able to avoid them.
I've been a deer hunter for more than 25 years and I have learned a lot about the animal, the benifits of wildlife management and one fact that has changed the attitude of a few who think the deer is so cute and shouldn't be harmed. That is, the American Whitetailed deer kills more people every year than all of the wildlife all over the world combined. Not what this topic is about.
I continued my drive, made my purchase and started heading home. Traveling home not 30 minutes later, the traffic on the southbound side is slowing. I can see well ahead of me and it is clear the slowdown is caused by onlookers.
On the northbound side there is a car pileup in the exact spot I saw the deer. At least a dozen cars. A dead deer is in the median. Three human bodies lay on the pavement. One in female clothing is bloodied and unnattended and the other two are attended. That doesn't look good. People are running around frantic and I could hear a woman screaming. There is more and I just can't think about it.
The carnage was massive. The swirling skid marks on the road tell me it didn't have to be. One or more drivers overreacted, locked up the brakes and lost control of thier vehicle.
I knew the possibility of a deer/car collision could occur and I failed to prevent it. I feel a little guilty about that. I didn't think it would be that bad.
I hope I find some redemption by giving other drivers some advice that could save your life.
As a driver, always stay alert and be prepared for any emergency. Be alert for other drivers, if they are not as alert as you, thier actions could effect you if your not prepared.
Instill in your mind that your life and the life of other human's around you are more valuable than the life of an animal, and the damage to your car can be repaired. If an animal appears in front of you, you'll know what to do.