![\"animal-breaks-windshield\"](\"https:\/\/info.glass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/wildlife-1321264_640.jpg\" "\\"animal-breaks-windshield\\"")
<\/p>\nWe all do our best to avoid animals on the road (or even flying around the roadways) but sometimes it happens. You don\u2019t see the animal in time to avoid it, or you see it but know it would be dangerous to swerve, and your windshield ends up broken.<\/p>\n
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We often see stories in the news about freak occurrences of contact between animals and windshields\u2014some stranger than others. And often, these result in broken glass that needs to be replaced. Other times, they simply result in a funny\u2014or even scary\u2014situation.<\/p>\n
Wild turkeys are often seen in the news after hitting vehicles. A recent Indiana report noted three of these cases in the same area in recent months. They suggest the reason is simple: mating season. Male turkeys and females are searching for one another, not paying much attention\u2014and then boom. Why did <\/em>the turkey cross the road? Maybe to get to another turkey\u2014not to hit your windshield<\/a>. But unfortunately it sometimes happens. And, when it does, the inertia created by these heavy birds can cause a great deal of damage to the windshield<\/a>.<\/p>\n A recent report<\/a> detailed the tale of a tractor-trailer windshield that was hit by a flying turkey. Luckily the driver and turkey both survived.<\/p>\n While turtles generally move much more slowly than turkeys (and have a tendency to stay low to the ground), it happens to them as well. On occasion they end up in the center of a windshield, causing massive damage. Recently, a turtle crossing a roadway was hit by a vehicle and propelled into the windshield of another vehicle. Fortunately, the turtle somehow survived the freak accident, according to the news report<\/a>. The windshield did not. It was smashed and had to be replaced.<\/p>\n We probably see even fewer ponies than we do turtles on the road, but a United Kingdom couple\u2019s vehicle was struck by a pony, causing the windshield to \u201cexplode,\u201d according to a news report<\/a>. The couple believes the pony was running from a dog. The pony sadly met its end as a result of the collision, as did the windshield.<\/p>\n A Connecticut driver recently had a bizarre run-in with an owl that flew into his windshield, according to a local report. The owl was injured and \u201cdisoriented\u201d by the crash. It is unclear from the report how broken the windshield was.<\/p>\n A couple traveling near San Diego in January picked up an unusual passenger on their windshield\u2014a falcon. The fowl attached itself to the vehicle\u2019s windshield wiper and rode there for 20 minutes, according to a local report.<\/p>\n It turned out the falcon was a pet and was used to human contact. The windshield wasn\u2019t broken, and the hitch-hiker eventually returned home.<\/p>\n Of course, anyone would welcome a falcon on their windshield compared to what another person found sneaking out of their vehicle in Australia in January\u2014a red-bellied black snake. According to the local report about the incident, a woman was driving when the snake climbed out from under her vehicle\u2019s hood and was visible through the windshield. Thankfully, the driver was able to remain calm enough to slow down and pull over\u2014while her even calmer daughter filmed the incident. Again, the windshield remained intact\u2014but it\u2019s likely the driver\u2019s nerves did not.<\/p>\n Another Australian family had an encounter with a different, tamer animal\u2014a seal\u2014who caused a lot more damage on Christmas 2016. The day after Christmas, the family discovered that a large fur seal wandering around town climbed onto its vehicle and shattered its windshield, according to a local report. The seal, comically referred to as \u201cLou-Seal\u201d in the report, also dented the car\u2019s roof.<\/p>\n It is much more common to hear about deer hitting vehicles and breaking windshields<\/a> (or being hit by vehicles), but the deer usually are stopped by the vehicle. Recently, however, a Texas driver ended up with a deer as a passenger, according to a local report<\/a>. The deer was crossing a road and ran into a car and ended up in its back seat. Thankfully, the driver wasn\u2019t hurt but the deer was killed in the incident.<\/p>\n Deer hit vehicles\u2014and are hit by vehicles\u2014daily, but it\u2019s rare that they end up as passengers.<\/p>\n So, has your vehicle ever had a strange encounter with an animal? Or just an ordinary one? And did your windshield make it through? Let us know in the comments box, and we will send you a can of the best glass cleaner in the world for your trouble.<\/p>\n Click Here<\/a>\n\n <\/p>\n If you have struck an animal\u2014or animal has struck you, or if a stray seal has climbed onto your vehicle and broken the glass (however unlikely that may be), or a turtle \u2026 or \u2026 you get the picture\u2014then what\u2019s next? You likely need a windshield replacement.<\/p>\nTurtles, Really?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
And Ponies Too \u2026<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Hoot, Hoot<\/strong><\/h2>\n
A Falcon Hitches a Ride<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Snakes in the Car<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Seal Shatters Windshield<\/strong><\/h2>\n
The Most Common Occurrence: Deer Breaking Windshields<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Has It Happened to You?<\/strong><\/h3>\n
What Now?<\/strong><\/h4>\n