What should you do if you are unable to avoid hitting a large animal while driving?

When driving and faced with the unfortunate scenario of being unable to avoid hitting a large animal, letting up on the brakes just before impact is advisable. This action helps to mitigate the severity of the collision. When you brake hard right before hitting the animal, you can cause your vehicle to come to a sudden stop, which can lead to more significant damage to your vehicle, as well as increase the likelihood of injury to both the passengers inside the vehicle and the animal.

When you release the brakes, the vehicle may ride over the animal rather than making direct contact, potentially reducing the risk of serious injury or damage. It is important to remember that maintaining control of the vehicle is vital, and this technique helps to maintain stability while minimizing impact forces.

In contrast, accelerating could worsen the situation, causing greater impact with the animal and more damage. Swerving away from the animal can lead to loss of control, especially if it involves steering into oncoming traffic or other obstacles. Taking evasive action to the left might not always be safe and could lead to collision with other vehicles. Therefore, letting up on the brakes just before impact is the most effective strategy in avoiding further injury and damage.