...When we lived in the Sierra Mts always worried when better 3/4 would drive down into the valley. Confirmed one morning when I got an upset phone call she had nailed a deer. I also hit one so want a road she could drive without too much worry...
I worry about that too. Only up here it's mainly elk that tangle with vehicles. When that happens it's generally not a pretty sight for man or beast. My wife's daughter lives near by and drives 40 miles each way to Show Low and back for work, leaving early mornings and getting home after dark. She sees elk beside or on the road every week, and is always on alert for an unexpected animal stepping out in front of her.
My daughter-in-law hit an elk in her old 3/4 ton Dodge truck, with a massive winch and bumper system up front, a couple of years back. The only thing that sustained damage in that incident was the elk -- it died on the spot. She and my son put a salvage tag on it, hauled it home, processed it, wrapped the meat and filled one of their freezers with elk steaks and such.
We've had everything from mountain lions to bears to elk and deer hit on the highway in and out of town, and right in the middle of town as well. Most times it's a light weight newer vehicle driven by someone who's unfamiliar with the danger that animals in the roadway present. I've seen vehicles towed to the local NAPA storage lot with their front ends destroyed and tops pealed back like a tin can. Not a pretty sight..