Hitting a Deer in a Smart

[CruisingAZ]

I do not know if this link will work but I am going to try to send you a vehicle vs. deer photo:

http://www.jeepcommander.com/forums/...highlight=deer

This is a BMW at 140 MPH

[SmartBob]

YUK, yeah it works.

[smarties]

Remember when that test smart hit that wall it was at bumper level, a deer is going to go right through your windshield thus you will be injured or dead. The draw back to the smart is since there is not much of a front end and your windshield is very vulnerable and even though it sits high it is still a problem I think. In california we just have to worry about hitting illegals!

[Nicholas]

Until moving to Florida nineteen months ago I lived way out in the country of Ohio. The last three years before moving here, I struck a deer at least once a year (and yes, every deer I hit died so think about the speed involved). In fact, my last encounter was with a rental while I was waiting for my original vehicle to be repaired from a deer impact a couple of weeks before hand. I have no fear of a deer impact with a Smart anymore then I would have with almost any other vehicle. I've seen much larger vehicles after a deer strick and believe it doesn't make much difference...some come out rather good, others not. The biggest fear with any vehicle is the possibly of the deer coming thru the windshield...but that is with any vehicle like I stated earlier.

[Karl Roth]

ya gotta love googgle http://www.killthedeer.org/
karl

[Candi]

Well, I haven't hit a deer but I have hit a cat--about a 10 pounder--on the passenger front and it appears that I have snapped the bracket that holds that corner together. I haven't had it to the dealer, it just happened last night on the way home from work. I tried to avoid it but living in rural America I don't have shoulders to drive on just ditches to fall into.....

[Kermit]

OHIO?! Heck, I have them right here in my yard! During the winter they come right up to the house. Just this morning driving to work I passed one on the side of the road. She didn't move until I was right next to her, I was doing a whole 10mph when I was driving through there. I live in a VERY rural area and the road is @*&^ so I have to go 10mph for a few miles before getting to the paved road.

This summer I've been seeing more than normal, normally during the summer we don't see them. Same goes for bear sightings this year.

Originally Posted by Nicholas

Until moving to Florida nineteen months ago I lived way out in the country of Ohio. The last three years before moving here, I struck a deer at least once a year (and yes, every deer I hit died so think about the speed involved). In fact, my last encounter was with a rental while I was waiting for my original vehicle to be repaired from a deer impact a couple of weeks before hand. I have no fear of a deer impact with a Smart anymore then I would have with almost any other vehicle. I've seen much larger vehicles after a deer strick and believe it doesn't make much difference...some come out rather good, others not. The biggest fear with any vehicle is the possibly of the deer coming thru the windshield...but that is with any vehicle like I stated earlier.

[MichaelJ]

Originally Posted by dava92

What does everyone think might happen if you encounter a deer at 40-60 mph?

Never seen a deer move that fast.

[saskdiesel]

Originally Posted by sisyphus

The space between the front of the car and your face is really irrelevant. The real problem arises if/when the deer comes through the windshield! But remember, the smart is a much narrower than the usual car, and more nimble. There is less of it to hit the deer, and that makes it slightly less likely to make serious contact, and avoiding the deer strike is easier due to the nimble nature of the car. For those reasons alone you're actually better off in a smart!

The size of the Smart will have no effect if the deer hits the glass.
I have seen entire deer squeezed (or squished) through various sizes of openings in vehicles.
If you hit a jumper in the glass you could be killed. In any vehicle.
But the closer you are to the front (like the Smart or my sons micro truck) the better your chances of being killed.
And if you think a Smart is nimble enough to avoid a jumping deer at highway speeds forget it.
I don't think an F1 car could avoid the strike.
To unpredictable.

[curtis]

living in the north woods of Wisconsin deer are like roos in Australia so I installed my roo bar so any white tails get in my way they are going to be dinner! j/k it's for plowing over old people with walkers, they are worth 1,000 points!