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Was There Really a Deer or Did The Driver Fall Asleep?
Obviously the best evidence of an animal impact would be vehicle damage containing hair or blood. However, if the impact was only a glancing one this type of evidence may not be readily visible. Look closely for hair caught between pieces of chrome and the vehicle body or between panels, and inspect the undercarriage as well.
In many situations there may have in fact been an animal, and your driver took evasive action to steer around it, and missed hitting the animal altogether. If this is the case look for marks left on the road from braking and steering as part of any evasive action. Vehicles leaving the roadway after taking this type of evasive action usually depart at an angle of between 15 to 45 degrees.
Also note the condition of the tire marks as the vehicle enters the ditch. Were the wheels locked up from braking? If so, there should be skid marks on the road and in the ditch to indicate this. (Skid marks are only left from a sliding non-rotating tire.)
If there are no skid marks this indicates the wheels were rolling and you will likely find little tire track evidence on the road and only find a trail through the grass or snow in the ditch. This is more indicative of a driver running off the road.
Typically, when drivers fall asleep or are distracted say by a cell phone conversation they leave the road at a gradual angle, usually less than 5 degrees. They also usually travel relatively long distances on the shoulder or median before attempting evasive actions such as braking or steering.
Recording all your findings and measurements on a scale drawing will help paint a clearer picture as to the path of the vehicle and support your conclusions.
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