Deer vs Car, and the deer won, of course

[cabanafrau]

It sounds like the van is a loss due to your level of insurance coverage. I agree with the previous posters who said to sign it over to a salvage yard, maybe you could get a couple hundred for it.

I live in Michigan and have never heard of anyone getting a ticket for hitting a deer. That is ridiculous, the deer run in front of cars, people don't go after the deer!

I would not report this accident to your insurance.

I've lived in MI my whole life and never heard of anyone being ticketed for a car/deer collision until the above incident with my friend. I absolutely agree it's ridiculous. As I said, her State Farm agent is also a friend of hers. Judging by the way he had to intervene and micromanage the claim I think I can guess how and why there would be a push to ticket the driver. The recent legislation is only the first baby step towards straightening out our insurance mess in MI.

 

[KPeterso]

Can't help with the insurance questions. I had a similar accident with a deer when I was 16 (only had license about 4-5 months when it happened). Like your son, the police came and no ticket issued as it was an Act of God. Take some time with your son. I was a complete and total mess from the shock and swore I was never driving again. I can say I avoided driving through that area as much as I could until I moved out of the area about 12-13 years later, but I did get over the fear of driving. It also did not help that the police asked if I had checked to see if the deer was dead - if I had gone to check it and it moved, I am pretty sure I would have been the one that was dead from a heart attack. Oh and to this day, the movie Bambi is still a NO for me.

 

[sharbear]

Also in Michigan and have hit several deer unfortunately. Never cited, never even crossed my mind that we would be. Not like we gunned that deer down.

As far as insurance, I thought and I could be wrong that when we dropped the comprehensive from one of our cars, it didn’t cover anything unless we hit a deer. Could be specific to the way the policy was written and we are in an area where hitting deer is not uncommon.

But if a police report is written, do you have to report an accident? I’m not sure of that.

Sorry to your son, it’s always hard when this happens. Stinks and shakes you up, even though you can do nothing to change the outcome

 

[sharbear]

The police ask where the deer is and if you know if it’s dead so that they can put the poor creature out of its misery if it’s not.

Lots of hunters here who don’t have any problems checking on the welfare of the deer. But don’t worry if you don’t want to, I won’t either