I was taught by my driving instructor to not try and avoid smaller animals because swerving or sudden breaking would be more likely to result in a major accident than simply plowing through it. Whereas larger animals medium sized dog for example could lead to a wider accident if you hit them.
You should be aware enough of traffic around you to know if slamming the brakes on presents a significant hazard. (And if you can’t react to an animal appearing in the road you’re likely driving too fast for the visibility and conditions)
Luckily I’ve never had to turn a cat inside out, but they frequently dart out infront of vehicles close enough that slamming on the breaks won’t do much even at low speed. I have a friend who’s cat died on a stretch of road that had a 30 km/h speed limit.
The driver was able to avoid the car stopped in the road to let the chicken cross. Instead of stopping behind them and waiting, they pulled out to cut around the stopped car.
I see this kind of behaviour all the time in my neighbourhood, at a crosswalk with a “kids crossing” sign and curb barriers designed to keep people from cutting around on the right. If someone is stopped to make a left hand turn, they cut on the right anyway, and if someone is stopped to let a kid or an animal cross (animals cross there all the time), they cut on the left.
People have been hit at that intersection. But people still keep doing it.
I’ve spent a bit of time in the US and your assessment is absolutely correct. I’ve never seen so many car accidents. The highways were lined on both sides with bits of car in varying sizes.
I was taught by my driving instructor to not try and avoid smaller animals because swerving or sudden breaking would be more likely to result in a major accident than simply plowing through it. Whereas larger animals medium sized dog for example could lead to a wider accident if you hit them.
that’s relevant on the highway, not residential neighbourhoods
You should be aware enough of traffic around you to know if slamming the brakes on presents a significant hazard. (And if you can’t react to an animal appearing in the road you’re likely driving too fast for the visibility and conditions)
Luckily I’ve never had to turn a cat inside out, but they frequently dart out infront of vehicles close enough that slamming on the breaks won’t do much even at low speed. I have a friend who’s cat died on a stretch of road that had a 30 km/h speed limit.
One of the best reasons to keep cats indoors, but yeah I said “likely” because exceptions do exist.
Yeah when you’re going at 70. Not 30.
The driver was able to avoid the car stopped in the road to let the chicken cross. Instead of stopping behind them and waiting, they pulled out to cut around the stopped car.
I see this kind of behaviour all the time in my neighbourhood, at a crosswalk with a “kids crossing” sign and curb barriers designed to keep people from cutting around on the right. If someone is stopped to make a left hand turn, they cut on the right anyway, and if someone is stopped to let a kid or an animal cross (animals cross there all the time), they cut on the left.
People have been hit at that intersection. But people still keep doing it.
Surely that’s illegal. Driving on the opposite side of the road, into potentially oncoming traffic, at a pedestrian crossing with no visibility.
I think the problem is Americans just seem to drive like idiots.
I’ve spent a bit of time in the US and your assessment is absolutely correct. I’ve never seen so many car accidents. The highways were lined on both sides with bits of car in varying sizes.