Driving Vs Animals

Went deer hunting just a few days after getting on my mentor's truck. (Company driver).

The deer was running along side of the road then took a sudden left turn & ran into the Freightliner's front bumper.

Deer was knocked under the truck. The front bumper is mostly black plastic, so I saw "hundreds" of black chips fly. No more real damage. The truck spent two days at the body shop.

Went head-on, with a huge great dane 4 a.m. one California morning as I rounded the corner by my house. All I saw, was his eyes as he appeared shocked, put on his "brakes", went under my hood view crashed into my grille, jumped and ran off into the dark! I think I peed a little!

Stopped for my usual coffee at 7-11 by on-ramp, and found 1 screw holding my chrome tube grill in , barely!

I had a deer (maybe-it left hair on my left side rear shock) take out my airbag linkage. We were driving a KW T680 on I-80 in WY...it was a real long downgrade and I was geared down pleasantly using the jake. A truck about 1/4 mike ahead apparently nailed the critter and it went down and other his rig. I never really saw the body but felt a bump. As a result my air bags deflated and screwed up my drive train alignment...the truck ahead pulled over at the bottom so I assume he had damage. I stopped at Little America and found the broken linkage...I don't know why KW sets up the control linkage like they do but it is vulnerable. Anyway, got the linkage repaired at the SLC Swift terminal but the truck was real noisy from then on. Sometimes you just can't miss the critters. I had good following distance on a long DARK grade with speed holding at 55 and never did see it!

I can't stress this enough. What you say can turn a non-preventable accident into a preventable. The deer hit me is non-preventable. I hit the deer is a preventable. Always make the deer at fault. Never ever say you hit anything. Even a pole. It hit you.

Jason advises:

I can't stress this enough. What you say can turn a non-preventable accident into a preventable. The deer hit me is non-preventable. I hit the deer is a preventable. Always make the deer at fault. Never ever say you hit anything. Even a pole. It hit you.

This is correct. When you report your incident, do say the deer hit you. Sounds stupid, but that's how the company wants to report it to the insurance. Remember: the deer hit your truck.

I had a light pole that tried to hit the right side of my trailer during a tigjt right turn once. Fortunately I tricked it by stopping before it got the chance, then I backed up and swu

...swung out a little wider.

He didn't try it again after that!

I had a light pole that tried to hit the right side of my trailer during a tight right turn once. Fortunately I tricked it by stopping before it got the chance, then I backed up and swung out a little wider.

That's why you're the Master, Old School! Keep those posts and mailboxes guessing!

At Nissan Forklifts, I was backing into a spot in a complex to service 2 lifts. Block wall and planter behind me, was nothing back there I swear!! Idling back, foot on brake, when all a sudden BAMMM!! ?...............Get out to look, guess what? this big azz tree came outta no where and caved in my 1 rear door, big V shape, busted out the glass ! That tree was NOT there before! I swear ! lol

Luckily, we had a parts van at the shop , I could steal the door off of n swap out......Talk about feeling this ( ) big! making that call to dispatch