What is the safest way to handle an animal while driving?
There are many accidents involving animals suddenly running out onto the road and in front of cars. So in this situation, how should the driver handle it?
Traffic accidents involving animals running into the road are not uncommon in Vietnam as well as around the world. In Vietnam, it is not uncommon to see buffalo, cows, dogs, and cats roaming freely on the road, posing a danger to vehicles on the road.
Sharing about how to handle this situation, Mr. Nguyen Duy Chin - a driver with more than 20 years of experience in driving said: If you are moving at an average speed of about 60 km/h and suddenly encounter an animal running into the road, the driver should first lightly apply the brake pedal, then observe the vehicles in front and behind, then turn the steering wheel to avoid if the distance is far.
However, if the animal is nearby and the speed is above 80 km/h, the driver can only hold the steering wheel firmly to control the vehicle, minimizing the risk of collision. When traveling at high speed, the driver should not suddenly turn the steering wheel to avoid losing control, colliding with two-way traffic or overturning the vehicle.
Many other drivers advise that if the vehicle is going fast and the distance is still far, hold the steering wheel firmly and reduce the speed to a safe level. If the vehicle is going slowly, observe both sides of the rearview mirror, see if it is safe to steer to avoid the obstacle. After stopping suddenly and the animal has not moved, the vehicle should turn on the hazard lights to signal the vehicles behind to avoid crashing into your vehicle.
How to handle the situation also depends on what kind of animal is in front of the obstacle. For small animals, the driver can still avoid or go straight, keeping the steering wheel steady. But for larger animals such as buffalo, cows, horses with large, heavy, sturdy bodies, moving slower, the driver should stop and wait and absolutely not make them panic. Because these animals can attack humans at any time.
On city roads, drivers often encounter dogs and cats crossing the road. According to many drivers, they usually drive at a moderate speed of about 60 km/h and easily avoid them, rarely having to rush straight if they encounter animals that suddenly appear while driving.
Therefore, for both inner-city and outer-city traffic, drivers need to be extremely focused, maintain the correct speed, and calmly handle situations promptly and effectively.
Not only cars but also small and light motorbikes that are not sturdy enough, when colliding with animals crossing the road, will have difficulty maintaining stability like cars. Therefore, motorbike drivers must always observe and maintain the correct speed.
Also, limit the use of whistles because it can easily startle animals and make them panic, making the situation more complicated and difficult to handle.
