FARGO, N.D. – Deer are often seen as synonymous with the Prairie, as iconic as the landscape itself.
Unfortunately, they also present a danger to people travelling on highways and rural roads. And as human populations continue to spread further into the countryside, the potential for collisions involving vehicles and deer increase.
In addition to urban sprawl, back country development, increased vehicle traffic and the size of deer population and available food during winter all play a role in the number of car-deer accidents each year.
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In the years 1996 to 2000, Alberta recorded 20 fatalities and in Saskatchewan eight deaths were directly caused by collisions with animals. In 2003 alone, Manitoba reported four fatalities caused by collisions with animals.
This is where deer guards can help.
But steel is heavy and considering many trucks already have a cast iron V8 up front, they don’t need an extra 200 pounds out in front of the wheels. The further the weight is shifted in front of the spindle plane, the more leverage it exerts when bouncing.
Excess weight out front creates handling and braking problems and contributes to maintenance costs.
That’s where aluminum comes into play. An aluminum deer guard is about half the weight of steel. The latest generation of aluminum guards looks a lot more substantial than the steel guards that once flooded the market.
Sandy Peisar of Glenburn, North Dakota, thinks aluminum guards are strong.
“We’ve hit two deer with this aluminum bumper and there’s not even a dent,” she said. “After that, we decided we should start selling these bumpers. We never had any intention of going into a sideline business, but everyone’s hit a deer or knows of someone who’s been hurt in a deer collision.
“And we knew from our own experience that these Truck Defender bumpers keep the animal out in front of the cab.”
The aluminum Truck Defender deer guards for pickups and sport untility vehicles are made of quarter-inch aluminum and weigh 100 to 125 pounds.
“We’ve never hit a cow, but from what we’ve heard from customers, a big animal like that will bend up the bumper. But that’s OK. The cow still stays in front of the truck, and that’s the main thing in my opinion.
“The Truck Defender guards are highly reinforced with steel behind the center section, so it won’t collapse.
“That’s something you want to look at when you’re thinking about any bumper guard. If the centre section collapses, the animal can end up in the cab. The main thing is to keep that animal out of your cab.”
Another factor is the cost of repair and insurance. Even if the people in the cab survive a deer through the windshield, the truck might still be a writeoff. More writeoffs can increase insurance premiums.
If the collision amounts to nothing more than a deer guard ding, the financial factor is negligible.
As well, getting stuck in the middle of the night miles from nowhere with a smashed radiator can spoil anybody’s day, especially in winter. A vehicle with a good deer guard can often be driven after a deer collision.
The Truck Defender guards sold by Peisar are made in South Dakota. They carry a one-year warranty. The company makes aluminum guards for everything from SUVs and light trucks starting at $1,800 US up to semis for $3,200.
For more information, contact Sandy Peisar at 701-728-6828 or visit www.truckdefender.com.
