Esurance Reminds Drivers to Steer Clear of Wildlife

No matter what the groundhogs said on Wednesday, Esurance is reminding drivers to steer clear of wildlife and stay prepared for a long winter.

In many areas, severe winter weather may result in animals on the move. In bad weather, deer and other wildlife are more likely to enter densely populated suburban and urban areas to forage for food.

Deer are already the most common animal involved in vehicle collisions nationwide, and the recent spate of wintry weather may increase the number of deer-vehicle accidents in 2005. Esurance reminds drivers to follow these common-sense precautions: be especially alert for animals, slow down the instant you see an animal, and keep your speed reduced for some time after making a sighting.

However, it’s not always easy to steer clear of animal-related mishaps. In November 2004, Esurance had an unusual claim involving a horse and carriage. A customer was parked legally in downtown Chicago, when a horse-drawn carriage veered during a turn and struck the insured vehicle’s rear bumper. Fortunately, neither horse nor humans were injured.

And, even if the local weather-predicting groundhog tells residents to get ready for spring sooner, Esurance advocates that drivers stay ready for winter until well after spring has officially sprung.

In many parts of the country, heavy snow and blizzard conditions can last into April. For more information on what drivers should include in winter driving kits or on keeping vehicles properly maintained for winter conditions, Esurance offers detailed winter-driving tips at: http://www.esurance.com/auto_insurance_&_travel/winter.asp .