An Ontario man says he is taking extra precautions after striking two deer at the same time while driving outside of Kemptville earlier this week. Dennis Burton says he will be adding deer whistles to his vehicles following the collision on County Road 43. “In my peripheral vision, I see one deer, hit my breaks and he slammed right into the front end and the second, which I did not see, it actually slammed into the side of my car,” Burton said. Burton was lucky to be unharmed but the damage to his vehicle was severe: the front bumper was left dangling, the driver’s side fender was crumpled and the driver’s side rear door was dented. He says he commonly sees deer near the roads this time of year at dusk and dawn. “My wife going to work Tuesday she saw one. I got in a car accident Tuesday night with two. I went out yesterday there was three other deer on the opposite side of the road where I got hit in the field, so they are here,” Burton said. The Insurance Bureau of Canada says there are thousands of animal strikes on rural roads and highways every year, costing the industry millions annually. Damage to Burton’s vehicle was initially estimated at $10,000. While he has the right insurance coverage, many others do not. “The insurance coverage for an animal impact is optional so not everybody carries it,” says Rob de Pruis, national director of consumer and industry relations at the Insurance Bureau of Canada. “So, if you are involved in an animal collision you need comprehensive or something called all perils coverage in order to have that.” Constable Michael Fathi, with the Ontario Provincial Police, says deer sightings are common this time of year. When facing deer or other animals on the road, Fathi says it’s best not to swerve out of the way in an attempt to avoid them. “We do not recommend swerving to avoid collisions with animals. We do understand it’s a natural instinct to try to do that — nobody wants to hit an animal — but it can actually be more dangerous, causing a bigger collision,” Fathi said. For Burton, staying alert and paying attention behind the wheel a must. “If they are close to the road, slow down, look and make sure there are no deer on the other side waiting to cross the road.”
