Definitely not a good day at all.

[JJ_Stin]

Well, I was coming home at 445 am in the morning, going into a curve, & out of my left eye, I spotted this deer. I tried to avoid hitting it at all costs, swerved over to the left and still made contact with the deer. Then, I wrecked into the guardrail from the driver side & rolled it least once or twice.

Didn't do a lot of damage, but the same time it did. I don't know if it's totaled or not. Maybe you guys can look at the pictures and see what you think. Rear axle is bent, where it hit the driver side rear wheel first. Funny thing there is not a scratch at all on the hood from the accident. I rolled that's why the right part of the roof is like it is. Driver side is messed up at the rear door.

Glad glad I'm okay, had some cuts on my feet. Swelled lip and some cuts/scrapes on my face.

Just really bummed out, bc I was starting to like my 4Runner a lot. Just glad I didn't order any suspension upgrades & wheels/tires.

 

[Sporin]

Glad you are in once piece!

My insurance agent gave me a piece of advice once that I'll never forget. She said that unless the alternative escape route is big, clear, and instantly easy to access and safely move into... HIT THE DEER.

Now a Moose? A moose you avoid at all costs.

 

[Gatafly]

Its totaled. Sucks man, glad your ok.

 

[MStudt]

Without a doubt totaled! Glad you're OK though.

 

[S p a r k y]

Glad your ok, that could have been bad. Just like [MENTION=45208]Sporin[/MENTION] said, anytime you see a deer that's in the way, hit it. Swerving always makes it worse.

4Runner is gone, they won't look twice at that. Sorry for your loss.

 

[TOY2G]

I have to echo the above. NEVER swerve to miss a dear, MOST of the time it results in more damage. You are welcome for the advise 6 hours too late...

As far as the 4runner......It is for sure a total loss.

 

[black4vcobra]

Sorry to see but glad you are ok. She is totaled though, too much damage to replace.

And I'm sure you know by now but short of a cow/horse/moose, never swerve to avoid an animal.

 

[fdbyrne]

Not that you have time to ponder all of the options in the split second before a deer runs out in front of you, but there is one more reason to hit the deer.

If you hit the deer, your insurance will pay the loss under Comprehensive coverage. If you swerve away from the deer and hit a tree, car, or something else, they will be paying for your vehicle's damage through Collision coverage. Comprehensive claims have little to no impact on your insurance premiums. Collision claims, on the other hand, will really drive up your insurance premiums.

I only bring it up so that people are aware. I don't mean to imply that you made the wrong choice. When something like this happens, you just react.

 

[ben550]

I hit a deer head on with my 3rd Gen years ago at 45mph. I just hit the brakes and plowed straight into it... winter on wet road. Broke some of the plastic on the front fender and put a small dent in the front bumper but that was it. Deer bounced off the truck and skidded 100m down the road...

I was unaware between the comprehensive and collision category differences on insurance claims. Good to know.

Sorry for your loss. You should get enough money from your claim to replace with another one... Glad you're ok.

 

[Sporin]

Not that you have time to ponder all of the options in the split second before a deer runs out in front of you, but there is one more reason to hit the deer.

If you hit the deer, your insurance will pay the loss under Comprehensive coverage. If you swerve away from the deer and hit a tree, car, or something else, they will be paying for your vehicle's damage through Collision coverage. Comprehensive claims have little to no impact on your insurance premiums. Collision claims, on the other hand, will really drive up your insurance premiums.

I only bring it up so that people are aware. I don't mean to imply that you made the wrong choice. When something like this happens, you just react.

To be clear, I'm not faulting JJ at all, it's extremely tough to make that decision in the split second things are happening and you just react.

Just Hit the Damn Deer- Expert advice about how to drive safely among North America’s most dangerous animals.

 

[wadle5]

Unfortunately what I have learned in managing a bodyshop........always aim for the deer, do not try to go around it. Luckily you are safe, but I would have to agree with everyone else. . . shes most likely totaled.

 

[strathcona]

Damn! Glad you're okay.

 

[teerock]

That looks bad! Good thing you made it safe.

 

[JJ_Stin]

Thanks everyone! I really appreciate that. Yeah I know, I should've not swerved, but it was going into a sharp curve kinda panicked. I still hit it though. That's what I told insurance, I did hit a deer then lost control.

All this happened Wednesday morning. Went from having real good news on Tuesday from almost dying Wednesday morning. My airbags didn't even go off, where I hit it from the front.

Now, I can't decide if I want another 4Runner or go back to a truck. The 14 & 15s 4Runner they look so badass. But, if I go back to a truck, it be a GM truck. Anything from '09 & newer.

For the mean time, I'm riding my dads 04 Yukon Denali.

Now, I really do miss a truck. This is my old truck.

 

[rich045]

you couldve hit the deer with that silverado no problem, lol
sorry for your loss but thank god you are ok!

 

[Drunner97]

Little bit of elbow grease, a new window, it'll buff out.

:behindsofa:

I'd probably go for a 5th gen if I totaled. I prefer the SUV space over the truck space for the kid though.

 

[CXS]

Glad you're okay! It's intuitive to swerve away from any impact, you did what most people would do.

To add to the strategy of hitting a deer in front of you, if you're really on top of your game, is to release the brake right before impact to raise the front of the truck so you go over it rather than it coming through the windshield.

 

[Atlanta_man]

scary pictures
In the old days, a roll over was certain death
4Runners are tough

 

[fdbyrne]

All this talk of hitting deer reminds me of the time that my wife hit one. It wasn't a bad day in the same way that yours was, but it was bad enough. I am sharing now, just because it's Friday and it'll probably make you laugh.

Shortly after I was married my wife called me while I was golfing to tell me that she hit a deer. She had a little Chevy Cavalier. The hood was all caved in, the windshield broken, and it ended up being totaled.

She is a very dramatic person by nature and was beside herself. She babied the car all the way home and eventually got there. I left the course and met her at the house and she was hysterical.

I asked her where she hit the deer and she could barely remember what road she was on. I asked if the deer was dead and she had no idea. I'm a kind-hearted person and the thought of a deer laying on the side of the road dying got to me. After a couple of beers, I grabbed my pistol and went to find it and make sure it was dead.

When I got there it was dark, but I did eventually find the deer and here's where my day went from bothersome to horrible. I pulled my truck off the road into what I thought was high grass. It turns out the high grass was covering a 3 foot deep drainage ditch which both my right tires fell into at once and my truck rolled onto the passenger side.

Now I have one totaled vehicle at home, I'm crawling out of the window of my truck that is on it's side, I'm in the middle of BFE, and I left my cell phone at home.

It took me hours to walk to a gas station, call a tow truck, pull my truck out of the ditch and get home.

Moral of the story, if there is one, don't worry about the deer. If it's in your way, hit it. If you hit it, don't lose any sleep over it. The damn deer was dead anyway.

 

[SilverRiver]

Well, I was coming home at 445 am in the morning, going into a curve, & out of my left eye, I spotted this deer. I tried to avoid hitting it at all costs, swerved over to the left and still made contact with the deer. Then, I wrecked into the guardrail from the driver side & rolled it least once or twice.

Glad you are okay. If it is safe to do so slam on the brakes but don't try to avoid hitting the deer. You could have killed yourself by slamming into a tree or when the truck rolled. Or at least suffered a TBI (traumatic brain injury).

I don't want to hit a deer or anything else but my safety and the safety of others on the road comes first. I can buy new parts for the 4Runner. Save the heroics for when a baby is in the middle of the road.