# You hit a dog on an interstate. What's the right thing to do? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 4, 2010, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-hit-a-dog-on-an-interstate-whats-the-right-thing-to-do/523615 "2010-01-04T13:58:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2010, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-hit-a-dog-on-an-interstate-whats-the-right-thing-to-do/523615/21 "2010-01-05T18:19:47Z")
Regarding the merch squish: My aunt was driving my dad and me home one night and she thumped over a rabbit on a side street. She stopped and checked her rear view to see if she killed it. She hadn’t. The poor thing was brutally injured, but still flopping (and making noises). There were a couple of little girls playing nearby and apparently looked up when they saw a car stop in the middle of the street. I remember looking up at them and seeing them just staring with their mouths open. My dad told my aunt she had to back up and finish the job. She agreed, and backed the ol’ Crown Vic up. The little girls started screaming when they saw the car backing up toward Thumper, but I suppose it was the only humane thing to really do. I mean, what’s the alternative? Get out and stomp on it? Beat it with your window scraper? ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2010, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-hit-a-dog-on-an-interstate-whats-the-right-thing-to-do/523615/22 "2010-01-05T18:29:42Z")
> [@Sailboat](#): > > And so it came to pass that I killed an animal during my driver’s test and laughed about it. The instructor made several careful notes in his tiny notebook. > . Did you pass? ---
**Author:** ![luv2draw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/46a35a/32.png) [@luv2draw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/luv2draw)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2010, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-hit-a-dog-on-an-interstate-whats-the-right-thing-to-do/523615/23 "2010-01-05T20:09:41Z")
Me in my car going about 40mph in the slow lane on a 2-lane-in-each-direction road. Rush hour so there are cars behind me and on my left. Dusk. Rural suburbs–so much so that it’s a field on my right. Up ahead I see this HUGE frog hopping from the field toward the road. Yup, you guessed it. It wound up in front of my car in the “up” position just as I got there. I had prayed and prayed as I got there that he would be “down” and I would miss him. No way I could avoid him. I heard the thump and in my rear view mirror saw him laying on his back in the middle of the lane. Not squished but I’m sure someone else behind me solved that problem. Another one. Third floor of the building I live in. Sliding glass doors that lead out to a balcony. It’s the time of day that the sun is shining on the glass. I hear a thump on the glass. A blue jay is laying feet up on the deck. Dead still. I guess the poor guy thought the glass was an opening. I’m on my way out so I leave him there, figuring I’ll have to deal with him later. When I get home again, he’s gone. So I guess he only stunned himself and flew off. Or else the bird ambulance came and took him away… ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2010, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-hit-a-dog-on-an-interstate-whats-the-right-thing-to-do/523615/24 "2010-01-05T21:27:19Z")
> [@bengangmo](#): > > our “road code” specifically notes that you should not slow down, stop or take evasive action for wildlife (ducks, cats, rabbits etc) on the road. > > At most I would have called the traffic police to report the carcass, nothing more. I had a friend, a student who worked in my building, who was killed driving to work from this kind of situation. I’m not sure if she hit the animal, or someone else did, but she tried to swerve away from it and lost control of the car. 22 years old and gone, just like that. It was in Atlanta, I think on 285 (the ring road/loop). At highway speeds you should never try to swerve. This is one of those sad things that sounds counterintuitive but it will save your life and others. I agree that you should call the authorities to report it. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-hit-a-dog-on-an-interstate-whats-the-right-thing-to-do/523615/25 "2010-01-06T03:04:12Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > Did you pass? I did. I was amazed. It was my second try. First try had been administered by a cute twenty-something female gym teacher in hot pants. She failed me for being nervous. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-hit-a-dog-on-an-interstate-whats-the-right-thing-to-do/523615/26 "2010-01-06T13:14:57Z")
Happened to me, except I wasn’t driving & we were on a highway, not the interstate. 1996- We were running late to an out-of-town wedding. Driving down a country highway about 30 min out of town with an hour more to go. The dog started chasing alongside us & then angled to run towards the car. My telepathic message “Don’t!” went unheeded by the dog & I closed my eyes & heard the thump. Of course, traffic was heading toward us in the next lane & traffic behind us wasn’t slowing, so we couldn’t swerve or slow down enough to avoid it. The driver was more upset than I and asked it we should pull over, look for the owner, etc. I was sad about it but pointed out that we were running late, couldn’t have avoided it, and that this was a country highway where animals got hit all the time. The dog deliberately ran into us & its owners did not have it secured. Let’s keep going. Oh yeah- we didn’t have cell phones back then either. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-hit-a-dog-on-an-interstate-whats-the-right-thing-to-do/523615/27 "2010-01-06T13:46:11Z")
In the U.K., it’s slightly complex. The [Road Traffic Act 1998](http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts1988/ukpga_19880052_en_14#pt7-pb3-l1g170), section 170 applies: > [@Road Traffic Act](#): > > 170 Duty of driver to stop, report accident and give information or documents > (1)This section applies in a case where, owing to the presence of a motor vehicle on a road, an accident occurs by which— > (a)personal injury is caused to a person other than the driver of that motor vehicle, or > (b)damage is caused— > (i)to a vehicle other than that motor vehicle or a trailer drawn by that motor vehicle, or > (ii)to an animal other than an animal in or on that motor vehicle or a trailer drawn by that motor vehicle, or > (iii)to any other property constructed on, fixed to, growing in or otherwise forming part of the land on which the road in question is situated or land adjacent to such land. > (2)The driver of the motor vehicle must stop and, if required to do so by any person having reasonable grounds for so requiring, give his name and address and also the name and address of the owner and the identification marks of the vehicle. > (3)If for any reason the driver of the motor vehicle does not give his name and address under subsection (2) above, he must report the accident. > (4)A person who fails to comply with subsection (2) or (3) above is guilty of an offence. > (5)If, in a case where this section applies by virtue of subsection (1)(a) above, the driver of the vehicle does not at the time of the accident produce such a certificate of insurance or security, or other evidence, as is mentioned in section 165(2)(a) of this Act— > (a)to a constable, or > (b)to some person who, having reasonable grounds for so doing, has required him to produce it,the driver must report the accident and produce such a certificate or other evidence.This subsection does not apply to the driver of an invalid carriage. > (6)To comply with a duty under this section to report an accident or to produce such a certificate of insurance or security, or other evidence, as is mentioned in section 165(2)(a) of this Act, the driver— > (a)must do so at a police station or to a constable, and > (b)must do so as soon as is reasonably practicable and, in any case, within twenty-four hours of the occurrence of the accident. > (7)A person who fails to comply with a duty under subsection (5) above is guilty of an offence, but he shall not be convicted by reason only of a failure to produce a certificate or other evidence if, within five days after the occurrence of the accident, the certificate or other evidence is produced at a police station that was specified by him at the time when the accident was reported. > (8)In this section “animal” means horse, cattle, ass, mule, sheep, pig, goat or dog. > . ---
**Author:** ![Textual\_Intercourse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Textual\_Intercourse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Textual_Intercourse)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-hit-a-dog-on-an-interstate-whats-the-right-thing-to-do/523615/28 "2010-01-06T21:09:49Z")
> [@Sailboat](#): > > And so it came to pass that I killed an animal during my driver’s test and laughed about it. The instructor made several careful notes in his tiny notebook. Heh. Not that it’s funny but, y’know. ---
**Author:** ![bengangmo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@bengangmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bengangmo)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2010, 7:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-hit-a-dog-on-an-interstate-whats-the-right-thing-to-do/523615/29 "2010-01-07T07:36:12Z")
> [@horsetech](#): > > Ruffian, it depends on the size of the animal. Squirrels and smaller, yes, I would do a mercy squish (I like the term - cute but grisly). Cats and larger, I don’t know, I’d probably freak the hell out if it didn’t die right away. I’d probably take a cat or dog to the nearest vet so they could either euthanize it or call animal control. I don’t think I could leave it there to die slowly and alone. I guess for a deer I’d call the cops and see if they could send someone out to shoot it. Hmm..of course where I come from we deliberately aim for rabbits and possums and you get “points” for hitting them… ---
**Author:** ![Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_the_Impaler)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2010, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-hit-a-dog-on-an-interstate-whats-the-right-thing-to-do/523615/30 "2010-01-07T21:02:16Z")
I hit a dog who suddenly appeared on I-35 outside of Killeen. Bumper to bumper, all going 75-80 MPH. Three packed lanes of traffic. I’ll tell you what you don’t do. You don’t look in your rear view mirror because it will haunt you forever. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2010, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-hit-a-dog-on-an-interstate-whats-the-right-thing-to-do/523615/31 "2010-01-07T21:11:10Z")
70, maybe 75. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-hit-a-dog-on-an-interstate-whats-the-right-thing-to-do/523615/32 "2010-01-08T01:09:16Z")
Don’t other states require that you notify the police that you’ve struck a dog? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-hit-a-dog-on-an-interstate-whats-the-right-thing-to-do/523615.md?page=1)