How to Respond to Unexpected Road Hazards to Avoid an Accident

Car about to hit a deer

Almost everyone in Colorado drives a car at some point during the day. That's a lot of time spent on the road. Most of us consider ourselves to be a safe, conscientious driver but even the best drivers can experience road hazards that appear out of nowhere requiring a quick response to avoid an accident. Most people aren't prepared and may not have given any prior thought as to how to react in this type of sudden emergency situation. By spending just few minutes and thinking about how best to respond to an unexpected road hazard can increase your chances of avoiding an accident.
So, let's take a look at a few situations you could potentially encounter; then some general guidance that may help you reach your destination safely.

You Lose Your Brakes.

Turn on your emergency flashing lights and keep steering.
Steer your way over to the right shoulder
Try pumping the brakes very quickly to build up brake fluid pressure
Try to downshift smoothly through the gears/li>
Slowly pull the emergency brake
Do not turn off the car until you come to a stop. If you do you could lose your power steering ability

The Accelerator Sticks

Turn on your emergency flashing lights and keep steering.

Shift into neutral, which will stop the engine from powering the wheels. Doing this allows you to retain power steering and braking ability, so you can better control the car

Use both feet and brake hard. Keep braking until the car comes to a stop

A Tire Blows

Stop accelerating. The National Safety Commission advises drivers to not slam on the brakes, the car gradually slow on its own. The car will want to veer toward the side of the bad tire, and braking can make it veer even more. Instead, concentrate on steering to the side of the road as you slow down gradually.

An Animal Jumps into the Road

There are more than a million collisions between vehicles and wildlife each year. Be mindful whenever you are driving in rural and mountain areas where wildlife live. Be especially careful around dawn and dusk, which are high-activity times for large animals. If you encounter a deer, moose or other animal in the road, hit your brakes and sound your horn.
Try not to swerve ; serious injuries and fatalities often occur when cars make extreme maneuvers to avoid animals.

We here at Denver West Insurance Brokers we have had many clients over the years collide with animals on the road. Fortunately, auto insurance coverage for this type of collision will cover damage to your car under Comprehensive Coverage and injuries under Medical Payments coverage. We hope you never encounter any of these situations. But if you do, keep your cool and respond safely. If something does happen, we’ll be here to help you through it!

Denver West Insurance Brokers is a local, independent insurance agency located on the west side of Denver in Golden, Colorado. We serve the communities of Arvada, Wheat Ridge, Lakewood, Morrison, Littleton, Evergreen and the mountain communities in Summit County. Give us a call today. We are always here to help our clients through the claims process.