From October through December, deer move most at dawn and dusk, and that's exactly when people are commuting. If you drive the rural stretches around Haslet, Justin or Northlake, this is the season to pay attention.
Don't swerve
It's the hardest advice to follow and the most important. Braking hard and staying in your lane is safer than swerving into oncoming traffic or a ditch. A deer strike is usually a repairable front end. Leaving the road often isn't.
If one crosses in front of you, expect others. They rarely travel alone.
It's usually a comprehensive claim
Animal strikes are typically handled under comprehensive coverage rather than collision — the same category as hail. Comprehensive deductibles are often lower, and it's generally not treated as an at-fault accident. Your policy sets the specifics, so confirm with your agent.
The damage runs deeper than the dent
At highway speed, a deer does more than crease a hood. What we typically find:
- Grille, bumper cover and headlight assemblies, often all three
- Radiator and condenser damage that only shows up as overheating later
- Hood and fender misalignment from the shock through the structure
- Forward radar and camera units mounted behind the grille, which need recalibration, not just reconnection
That last one is why a deer strike costs more than it used to. The sensors running your emergency braking and cruise control sit exactly where the impact lands, and putting them back without calibrating them means they're aiming somewhere other than where the engineer intended.
Before you drive it home
Check for coolant on the ground, a temperature gauge climbing, or fluid leaks. If anything looks off, have it towed rather than driven. A cracked radiator turns into an engine problem fast.
Bring it to 13181 Harmon Rd in Fort Worth and we'll tell you what it actually needs. Open Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm and Saturday 8am to 1pm. Call (682) 250-3045 or get a free estimate.