We didn't intend to hit it & kill it
@LeaPea2417 (36392)
Toccoa, Georgia
May 25, 2018 12:37pm CST
On our way home from Florida last week, we were driving along a stretch of interstate, when all of a sudden we were coming upon a big turtle with it's head stuck out of it's shell. My husband was driving and he really tried to straddle it, so that we wouldn't hit it, but our Van sits low and the turtle was rather big and it got hit and it could not have survived. Even if it got maimed, it still probably died.
We felt so bad but we had no other option. We didn't want to swerve and maybe run off the road or hit another car.
We are pretty sure it was one of those snapping turtles. Since it looked rather big, we think it was old, that it had lived a long life.
It is still sad to think about.
10 people like this
11 responses
@Courtlynn (66921)
• United States
25 May 18
I've read many times that police have stated that if it's between you hitting / running over an animals, or swerving and hitting something / someone then they prefer you continue driving like normal.
Also read though, that in some states you can get a fine for hitting / running over an animal.
3 people like this
@LeaPea2417 (36392)
• Toccoa, Georgia
25 May 18
I wonder which States fine a person for running over an animal?
1 person likes this
@Courtlynn (66921)
• United States
26 May 18
@LeaPea2417 same. I thought ours was, but i got confused looking. Lol
1 person likes this
@owlwings (43915)
• Cambridge, England
25 May 18
A big turtle on the road could be quite a hazard, I think, if you hit it wrong and there were other traffic about.
The largest animals we have here are red deer and I have once been in a car when one dashed out in front of us. I can't imagine what damage we did to it because it ran on and disappeared the other side of the road. It certainly didn't do the car any good and there was a sizeable dent in the wing.
I think the only animals I have killed myself have been rabbits and pheasants. I always feel sad when I hit something. Thankfully, it's never been a human.
2 people like this
@LeaPea2417 (36392)
• Toccoa, Georgia
25 May 18
Yes, I have hit a small squirrel before.
1 person likes this
@owlwings (43915)
• Cambridge, England
26 May 18
@JolietJake I've heard of that happening. I suppose they're just spooked and confused.
1 person likes this
@JohnRoberts (109857)
• Los Angeles, California
25 May 18
Sometimes there is just nothing you can do. You can't cause an auto wreck.
2 people like this
@popciclecold (35022)
• United States
26 May 18
That happens, one night I was going home when a deer ran out and hit my car, and kept going. I don't know if it survived, but it sure messed up head lights.
1 person likes this
@LeaPea2417 (36392)
• Toccoa, Georgia
26 May 18
That is good only your head lights were messed up. I have heard stories of people's cars being totaled after hitting a deer or one running into a car.
1 person likes this
@caopaopao (12395)
• China
25 May 18
It's a very sad thing, but I understand that this is inevitable. The turtle is too slow.
1 person likes this
