'I Thought a Bomb Had Gone Off!' Florence Woman's Ordeal and Warning to Local Drivers

"I thought a bomb had gone off!" That's what one Florence resident said after a deer struck her car on Sunday afternoon and shattered the side window of her car behind the driver's seat. Luckily, no one was in the back seat. It happened on Veterans Drive, one of Florence's busiest roads. That's not the only busy road in Florence where drivers have had "run ins" with deer in the past week.

Back side window of Florence woman's carPhoto byS. Walker

Just a few days ago, a deer was hit and killed on Cox Creek Parkway between Huntsville Road and Veterans Drive and another deer was struck on Veterans Drive near the North Alabama Medical Center. Several deer have been spotted on Huntsville Road, too, in the area between Broadway Street and Cox Creek Parkway. Florence police weighed in on the incidents.

"There are definitely more deer in the area of Veterans Drive, Cox Creek, and Huntsville Road," according to Florence police, "and more traffic, too."

Hitting a deer can be catastrophic in a small car, and if the deer had come through the window of the first car mentioned in this article, that could have been a very dangerous situation for the driver and passengers, if there had been any in the back seat. A deer's hooves are sharper than most people realize. They can do a lot of damage quickly.

Deer near Huntsville Road, Florence, AlabamaPhoto byApril Killian

Florence police say the best way to avoid a collision with a deer is to simply watch for them and realize they are there, for starters. If you see a deer on the side of the road, even if they are standing still or grazing, slow down. They can bolt away in a second, and the direction they run could very likely be toward your car or into the road right in front of you. They can also run out into oncoming traffic. That can cause other vehicles to swerve into the path of your car to keep from hitting the deer. It's best to be aware, and always slow down if you see deer on any road.

As for the Florence woman who had a close call and a broken back window, she's kept her sense of humor about the incident. She said, "It scared me, but I'm okay. I want to extend my condolences to the deer's family." She also said she believes the city might want to consider placing deer crossing signs on Veterans Drive and advises that people need to be aware of the deer in that area.

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