Animals crossing ahead is a common scenario in highways, in city streets and on the roadways that intersect a jungle. The most common disasters take place in highways especially during night driving as the car moves on high speed and the unpredictable crossing of a dog, cat or cow doesn’t get caught in the eyes of the driver in time. The repercussion though doesn’t put up the driver to the court of justice, but we all know that it is a loss of a life that was precious in every sense.
Today, to avoid such a mishap, the automakers and automobile associations are contributing their precautionary ideas putting the latest technology in use. Here is a glimpse on those ideas shared by an expert from the Hyundai dealer in Riverside County, let us have a close look at them:
Switch on the Driving Assistance Features
Today the latest cars are equipped with driving assistance features that can detect the pedestrians and even any obstacle that is coming your way. Turning it on while driving as a compulsory rule will prevent accidental collisions with the animals as well as pedestrians too.
Knowing the Probable Situations
Not every kind of road would have the probability of animals crossing the roads. In busy city roads, the probability of finding animals is lesser than broader highways that are surrounded with bushes or trees. The chances increase when you pass through denser green patches. Hence, it isn’t much difficult for the driver to be a little cautious while driving through such areas.
Preventive Driving Habits Would Save Lives
In most cases roadside signboards alert the drivers of the possible animal crossing. But the same cannot be expected while driving through residential areas, where street dogs and cats are frequently found. Keeping the car speed low in such areas is always helpful, as that would give time to the drive to be watchful and react accordingly.
Steps to Follow When Animals Run in Front of the Vehicle
Here are some steps suggested by the Riverside Hyundai dealer, which every driver needs to follow when they find an animal running in front of the vehicle:
- Looking on the road with attention helps getting enough time to react.
- Some animals generally move in groups, so if you find one, expect some more for within the next few seconds.
- Using high-beam headlights while night drives especially in one-way traffic would make it easier to spot animals while giving the driver some time to slow down or blow the horn to scare them away. High beams even help by spotting the reflective eyes of the animals.
- If a collision becomes inevitable, apply the brakes immediately and stay in your lane. It is a common tendency to swerve to save a collision but that often cause bigger crashes or the drivers losing control on the vehicles.
- The most crucial times are the dawn and dusk, when you need to be extra cautious. These times the natural light become elusive and, in most cases, animals like deer and elephants, tend to be crossing areas at that time.
Final Thoughts
Alertness is the key to safety that every driver needs to practice while moving the steering wheels.