Trying to avoid an animal crossing the road suddenly, a situation experienced by many drivers in Wallonia. In this type of situation we tend to want to save the animal by avoiding it. It’s normal, it’s instinctive but it can put you in danger.
Vigilance is required everywhere and at all times. What reflexes to have in this type of situation? To benefit from sound advice, we met Julien Malvaix, coachbuilder in Fosses-la-Ville. Cars damaged following trying to avoid animals, he sees them very often. “Here, a customer wanted to avoid the game that appeared out of nowhere and hit a wall, a bit like the other vehicle behind it.” For this bodybuilder, we often pay dearly for bad reflexes : “sometimes it is better to take the game than to want to avoid it. Now it’s still a human reflex“.
Keep cool
Bad reflexes confirmed by Benoit Godard spokesperson for Vias: “If, because you want to avoid an animal that is crossing or an animal that is already dead on the road, you perform an evasive maneuver and you risk a frontal collision, you will end up doing worse. And so that’s why you really have to keep your cool, brake, but avoid any dangerous maneuvers“.
